BOARS HEADING FOR 2018
AN ITALIAN VIEWPOINT
The Italian industry and Parma Ham
The EU census from December 2010 showed that there where 9.321.000 pigs in Italy, which represented 6.1% of the total. Italy ranks in the seventh position amongst the 27 EU states.
The average carcase weight in Italy is 127 kg , which is 38 kg ( 43%) above the EU average of 89 kg, and double the value of the lightest pigs represented by Portugal.
In some recent data from Interpig, Italian technical and financial data was compared with the data from Great Britain, Holland, France, Denmark, Belgium , Germany and Spain. In this report the average Italian slaughter weight of 166 kg was 55 kg higher than the average of the other seven nations.
Obviously, the higher slaughter weight has a dramatic negative effect on the food conversion rate of 3,68 , compared to an average of 2,80. While the costs for labour , depreciation, interest and various are very similar in all eight nations, the feed costs for Italy are € 0,29 /kg dead weight higher in Italy.
So why does Italy produce such heavy and expensive pigs ? The answer is to make their world famous Parma Hams, a PDO ( Protected Designation of Origin) as per EU reg. 102/2008.
There is evidence of the salting and dry curing of pig hams in the Po valley from the time of the Etuscans, then the Romans, the Longobards up into the middle ages.
Parma Hams have been mentioned in published literature as early as 1300.
From the middle of the 19 th century, semi intensive pig farms grew along side the local cheese industry in Parma to consume the whey. In the early 20 th century many of todays famous Parma Ham curing plants where established. To maintain the highest production costs in Europe, the Italian pig industry needs the highly specialised niche market of Parma Ham.
When foreign people are asked what are their recollections of Italy, they usually reply with one of the “5 P’s” ; Pavarotti, Pasta , Pizza , Parmigiana cheese and of course Parma Ham !
Parma Ham production is limited to ten central/northern regions of Italy. These regions account for approximately 90% of the total national herd. Lombardy alone accounts for 48% of the national inventory. Within the PDO region, not all farms produce pigs suitable for Parma Ham. Some farms grow on imported foreign weaner pigs. Others use breeds not accepted by the governing body IPQ ( Istituto Parma Qualità).
In 2009. there were 9.823.000 Parma hams produced in 164 recognised curing plants. The pigs came from 5.500 farms and were slaughtered in 120 recognised abattoirs. The whole process provides employment for around 3.000 people, with a retail sale value of € 1.700.000.000.
In 2010 there were more than 2.2 mil Parma hams exported to 85 different countries.
The difference for an Italian pig farmer to produce a pig suitable for Parma , or a “non Parma” pig is in excess of € 30 per pig.
Recent market research in England, looking at various European PDO products, showed that the highest level of product awareness in the dried/cured meat sector was registered by Parma Ham with a “score” of 92%. The rival products of Serrano Ham scored 66%, Bayonne Ham 23% and Pata Negra 17%.
Practical experience with Immuno castration
Various field trials have been carried out in Italy using the Improvac vaccine from Pfizer.
The hypothalamus at the base of the brain secretes GnRF. GnRF act on the pituitary gland to stimulate the release of Luteinising Hormone or LH and Follicle Stimulating Hormone or FSH.
LH & FSH then act on the testes to stimulate steroidogenesis and spermatogenisis. The steroids produced by the testes give rise the boars normal fertility, libido and aggressive behaviour – androstenone also contributes to boar taint. The steroids produced by the testes also result lower liver clearance of skatole and thus higher skatole in boars.
The first dose of Improvac only primes the immune system and does not alter testes function or boar taint.
Following the second dose of Improvac high levels of specific anti-GnRF antibodies accumulate in the blood stream.
These GnRF specific antibodies neutralise the pigs own endogenous GnRF production.
A lack of endogenous GnRF results in no stimulation of the pituitary gland and no release of LH and FSH.
In the trial hat I was involved with, the entire pigs received the first vaccine at about 28 kg live weight and the second vaccine at approximately 130 kg live weight. The pigs were slaughtered at 152 kg live weight. There was a notable variation in the degree of regression of the testes between individual animals.
The on farm performance showed a clear advantage to the treated animals with + 40 g/day growth rate and an improved food conversion rate of 0,18. There was also a reduced mortality of 1,5%. In economic terms the advantage amounted to € 7,00.
The treated animals has very lean carcases and were a very homogeneous group. For fresh meat production, the carcases were fine, but for Parma Ham production, the carcases were too lean.
The main problem encountered was the residual scrotum, needed extra trimming of the hams.
The IPQ regulations for Parma Ham production clearly states that the distance from the head of the femur to the trimmed skin cover should not exceed 18 cm.
The fat cover for a ham of > 9,00 kg should be at least 30 mm measured below the head of the femur.
Most importantly, the salt content of the cured ham should be in the range of 4,5 to 6,7 %
The most characteristic taste of Parma Ham is due to its mildness and sweet nature. The best curing houses at Langhirano aim to produce a ham of 4.5 to 5,0% salt content.
In Italy , there is production of other “ non Parma” hams. The trimming of these hams tend to be much higher. Consequentially , these hams are all a lot more salty than Parma Hams.
Nutrition
Skatole levels can be affected by nutrition. Increasing sources of fermentable carbohydrate promotes the growth of hind gut microbial biomass and reduces the conversion of trytophan to skatole.
However there are some genetic lines that are highly prone to problems of HBS (haemorrhagic bowel syndrome), and the increase of fermentable carbohydrates will certainly cause more problems.
Welfare
The council directive 2008/120/EC states that the pigs must have access to “ a sufficient quantity of material to enable proper investigation and manipulation activities”.
In such “ welfare friendly” housing, if poorly managed, will cause dirty pens, and thus increase the levels of skatole.
Genetics
There is a noted difference between different breeds. Androsterone levels are highest in the Duroc breed. The use of the Duroc either as a pure bred in in cross bred terminal sire lines , is growing rapidly in popularity across Europe.
In the future , we must look toward the work being carried out by the university of Guelph. They are carrying out some exciting research to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in candidate genes involved in the synthesis and degradation of androsterone and skatole.
Conclusions
Italy produce the biggest pigs in the world. Sexual maturity occurs at least three months before the typical Italain slaughter weight. Immuno castration will improve productivity, but has undesirable negative side effects for Parma Ham production. Immuno castratin may be a possible solution for the “non Parma” areas of production.
Italy will require a special exemption from the proposed 2018 regulations.