Boars
All PIC sire lines are selected based on the total economic value their market pigs will contribute to the pork production chain.
- Robustness
- Efficient lean growth
- Carcass quality
PICboar Product Attributes
What advantages does artificial insemination have over natural services?
- Increasing genetic value by decreasing genetic lag. Genetic lag is the time needed to transfer genes from the nucleus herd where PIC creates genetic improvement to the commercial market pig. A customer’s use of Liquid Genes decreases genetic lag by nearly two years compared to traditional natural service programs, thereby substantially enhancing the value of the commercial slaughter pig.
- Increase production flexibility by allowing a sire line change immediately through purchasing semen. When a processor changes requirements or a producer changes processor, Liquid Genes allows rapid product changes to be made. With natural service programs, producers must wait for young boars to finish isolation and acclimatisation, and mature sufficiently to mate multi-parity sows.
- Rapid adoption of improved genetics. PIC Liquid Genes ensures minimum genetic lag and maximum genetic value per dollar boar cost. In addition, as new PIC sire products become available to meet changing market requirements, Liquid Genes maximises the speed and flexibility to profitably capitalise on these new opportunities.
- Rapid adoption of new technologies. PIC, in partnership with research institutes and universities, continues to work on new technologies that will allow us to assure the predictable performance of Liquid Genes. Quality control and technology developments are certain to increase production costs, however economies of scale allows PIC® to add technologies that will benefit our customers more cost effectively than smaller entities.
- Natural service boars that previously occupied space within an operation can be replaced by prolific Camborough Gilts. This technology can add up to a substantial increase in revenue, provided that there is space in the nursery and finisher or a market for the additional weaned pigs.
In order to exploit the genetic potential of PIC Liquid Gene products, the process must start with good pig husbandry, practiced by individuals capable of positive pig-person interactions. Personal traits necessary for success are precision, attention to detail and patience.
PIC Liquid Genes (semen) are available from our leading range of sire lines, which includes the PIC®337G and PIC®356L. Through the performance testing completed at PIC’s multiplication farms, PIC selection staff select from the highest performing boars available, based on economically important traits such as backfat and growth rates. Through Liquid Genetics, producers have access to boar lines superior to those available in New Zealand by natural service.
A Liquid Gene program allows greater access to genes from New Zealand’s leading pig genetics supplier. When you place an order with a PIC Sales Representative, your order is directed to the Gene Transfer Centre (GTC) for processing. After collection and assessment, the Liquid Genes are packaged for shipment in insulated containers.
Quality assurance procedures include isolating, acclimatising, blood-testing, traceability, slaughter checks, laboratory hygiene and bacterial swabbing. Motility and morphology checks are completed on all semen, to ensure high quality and better longevity of semen. All semen is processed using long term semen extenders, which provides for extended periods of use from collection.
Below are our top-selling PIC products. For questions about these products or other products that are regionally available, please contact your PIC Sales Representative.
PIC®337G
The Industry's Leading Growth Rate Boar
The PIC®337G is New Zealand's best selling Liquid Gene and natural serve product (PIC®boar 335). This boar has excellent growth rate and feed conversion ratios that can take market pigs to heavier weights in fewer days, while decreasing the cost of gain. The PIC®337G produces high yield carcasses with an emphasis on meat quality.
This focus on growth makes the PIC®337G ideal for:
• Maximizing weight gain in a fixed time
• Going to heavier market weights with same facility space
• Faster facility turnover by reaching market weight in a shorter time
The PIC® 337G uses a range of PICmarq DNA markers in conjunction with each boar's own and relatives' off test performance data to increase the accuracy with which PIC® selects the best boars based upon EBV (estimated breeding value) for days to market, average daily feed intake, backfat and loin depth.
PIC®356L
The Lean Production Boar
The PIC® 356L is an AI boar focused on maximum lean production at least cost. The PIC® 356L has a strong reputation for:
• Low backfat levels and high lean content
• Vigorous and robust progeny
• Excellent growth rate and feed efficiency
• High tolerance to lower health environments
The emphasis of this boar is on reducing production costs and capturing value for the highest lean content in the progeny of PIC® boars. His progeny can be efficiently taken to very heavy slaughter weights with low backfat levels.