PIG producers can continue to expect large improvements in efficiency from advances in genetics.

ACMC, the North Yorkshirebased pig-breeding company, will give its upbeat message to producers at this year’s British Pig and Poultry Fair at Stoneleigh on May 11 and 12.

Ed Sutcliffe, company technical director, said: “Since the last pig fair two years ago, the onfarm value of our genetic improvements has amounted to £6.17 per pig, or about 8p per kg, based on an average deadweight figure of 80kg.”

He put it down to several factors, including improved numbers born alive, growth rate and feed conversion efficiency.

It would be worth £148.08 per sow for producers selling 24 pigs per sow a year or over £74,000 for a 500-sow herd performing at that level.

The value in numbers born alive amounted to £19.73, while quicker growth rate was worth £2.18 per pig. The improvement in feed conversion efficiency was worth £2.35 over the past two years.