Development of sire lines in pigs (Project 01007), 1971-1981

The ABRO pig sire line was established in 1959 from four different breeds: Large White, Landrace, Wessex Saddleback and Tamworth, with the intention that the line would produce boars that would sire lean pigs for slaughter. The breeds were crossed to give genetic variation, although it was found that the foundation population gave unsatisfactory carcase quality. To combat this, promising stock from other breeds was introduced annually, and by 1972, the line contained genes from 9 pure breeds and 2 hybrid strains. In order to test the sire line in its intended role as the sire of commercial pigs, boars from the 1971 generation were placed on 22 farms in South-East Scotland for comparison with the producers' own boars, in a trial run jointly with the East of Scotland College of Agriculture. After 15 generations of selection the Sire Line development project reached its final conclusion in March 1975, and the breeding stock was sold to interested breeders.