ARS | Publication request: SWINE GENOMICS AND ITS APPLICATION IN US PIG PRODUCTION

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: August 15, 2003
Publication Date: September 8, 2003
Citation: Proc., Health, Disease, and Technological Development: U.S.-India Collaboration in Genomic Workshop. Bangalore, India, Sept. 5-12, 2003.

Technical Abstract: Pig meat is the most consumed animal protein worldwide and pig production is important to the US agricultural economy. To ensure the competitiveness of US pig production, considerable resources have been dedicated to studying the genome of the pig. The results of this investment have been numerous. The genetic linkage map of the pig contains approximately 3,500 markers, with more than 1,000 genes represented. An international collaboration has been developed between USDA-ARS, the BBSRC and University of Illinois to produce a 20X whole genome BAC fingerprint map. Finally, the "white paper" submitted to the National Institute of Health's NHGRI outlining a plan for sequencing the pig genome was assigned High Scientific Priority by the research panel in early 2003. As these genomic tools are developed for the swine genome they are being used to improve pig production. Genetic markers are being used to determine a pig's susceptibility to a stress induced malignant hyperthermia, and markers are available to producers to increase the quality of the meat, the quantity of lean meat and the number of pigs born alive. US pig production has rapidly changed to a large corporate farm enterprise where breeding animals are developed from a pyramid breeding structure which can rapidly implement genetic marker information into breeding programs. An additional benefit to swine genomics research is that it provides information to researchers using pigs for biomedical research where they are determining the genetic basis to human disorders including melanoma, coronary heart disease and dietary disorders.