Suggested AI Protocol for the RWHA

I have been researching and working toward a workable protolcol for the Red Wattle Hog Association. One of the "pros" for using AI is the ability to get some superior genetics into individual herds more easily and more affordably than searching for, buying and the keeping of a boar. Another attractive thing about using AI is that you will have access to more than one blood-line at the same time.
Some of the "cons" to using AI are the problems associated with the over use of a single (or a couple) of great looking boar(s) that years down the road, have been identified as carriers of some genetic abnormality, defect or problem that is passed throughout the breed. In other breeds, this has been the cause of mandated genetic testing in animals that are effected as well as the retraction of registrations of animals that are effected by the defect.
I have consulted with registries that have had problems as well as some that have not, Dr Sponenberg, semen collectors and breeders that were both in favor and against the use of AI. The following is what I wrote up. I would like your input on this potential protocol. If you have any questions or would like an explanation of any of the rules, please just ask and I will be happy to try to clarify...this will go before the board in the next couple of weeks.
SUGGESTED RED WATTLE ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION PROTOCOL
1. Any boar approved for the AI program must be approved by the RWHA board. He must meet all the requirements for a blue card boar.
2. No recovery boars may be used for the AI program unless DNA is submitted to the RWHA board and this DNA results in the boar being a minimum of 85% pure Red Wattle.
3. All boars approved for AI will have 5 pictures submitted to the RWHA board. The pictures submitted must show the left side, right side, directly from the front, directly from the rear. These pictures must clearly show the legs of the boar. An additional picture looking down on the back of the boar must also be submitted.
4. Any company that owns a boar to be used in an AI program and will be performing the semen collection, will not have to be a member in order to have the piglet registered. The owner of the sow who farrows the litter from which the piglets are registered, will still have to be a member of the association in order to have the piglets registered.
5. Each boar approved will have the pictures permanently posted on the website along with the lineage of each boar. These pictures are to remain on the website for the lifetime of the association. This allows the membership access to the information on these boars for future research. All information pertaining to this boar including a change in AI status, health status and genetic faults found to be attributed to this boar, must be permanently noted in that boars information on the website.
6. Each piglet that is registered under the AI program will be given a registration number with the designation of AI and the number of the piglet registered sired by that boar. Example: registration #1234-AI01-01 (the RWHA registration number followed by the first piglet registered by the first boar admitted to the AI program. Example: #1235-AI01-02 would be the registration number of the second piglet registered to the boar AI01) These designations will be permanent. This will allow those breeders that wish to keep AI progeny out of their herds to research the lineage and know if they are getting a pig from that program.
7. All piglets registered via the AI program will submit an AI certification form that is signed by the tech that performed the AI, along with the registration application.
8. In order to avoid some of the problems that other registries have had with the over-use of a small number of superb sires, the Red Wattle Hog Association will put a “cap”on the maximum number of registered piglets that one boar can sire via AI. That number will be set at 30 for the first 3 years of the program. If in 3 years the number of people using the AI program is less than 8% of the number of members, the number of piglets can be adjusted to a greater number. The piglets that do not enter into the registry will not be counted toward the 30 piglet maximum.
Any piglet that is kept by the collector as a replacement boar for the AI program can be registered without that piglet being counted toward the 30 piglet limit. This replacement must be kept for replacement purposes and used in an AI program. There will be only one replacement boar registered per AI approved boar. If at any time, another replacement boar is desired, the collector may register a second boar if, and only if, that new replacement takes the place of a currently registered boar of that same direct line and the boar that is being replaced is taken out of the AI offering.
9. There can be no more than two boars of the same sire being used by one collector at any given time.
10. Any boar that is used in the AI program and has reached his maximum of 30 piglets entered into the registry, can be used in live cover and continue to have his piglets registered. Piglets born to live cover tend to stay in a more localized area and they generally do not travel across country. This means that, for the most part, any problems that may be found with that one sire in the future, the majority of the pigs that are affected by this boar will be in a more centralized area and not spread to far out into the US.
11. Once a boar is approved for the AI program, the semen collector will be given a certificate of approval from the RWHA along with 30 registration numbers that are designated for that boar. These 30 numbers are to be distributed by the collector. It is our recommendation that the collector offers two numbers along with the certification of service to the sow’s owner. This would encourage people to register only the very best of each litter and they allow the collector to use the boar for a longer period of time. No boar will be given more than the maximum number of registration numbers…no exceptions to this rule.
12. Any member found to be using AI and registering piglets as the product of live cover will be banned from the RWHA for a period of two years on their first offense. Any future offense for the same infraction will result in permanent ban from the association.
13. Any semen collection agency that is found to be non-compliant to the rules set forth by the RWHA, will be removed from the approved semen source list on the website and any un-used registration numbers issued to the company/agency will be considered null and void. That company will then be banned from registrations for a period of 3 years.
Dr Sponenberg's seal of approval!
From: dpsponen@vt.edu<mailto:dpsponen@vt.edu>
This is actually very, very good! I cannot think of anything to add. The wording is good, and the thinking behind the rules is very good and very well explained. This is an excellent first step, and sets the stage for getting experience with this in a manner that is safe for the breed.
>
> Good work!
>
> Phil
Some of the "cons" to using AI are the problems associated with the over use of a single (or a couple) of great looking boar(s) that years down the road, have been identified as carriers of some genetic abnormality, defect or problem that is passed throughout the breed. In other breeds, this has been the cause of mandated genetic testing in animals that are effected as well as the retraction of registrations of animals that are effected by the defect.
I have consulted with registries that have had problems as well as some that have not, Dr Sponenberg, semen collectors and breeders that were both in favor and against the use of AI. The following is what I wrote up. I would like your input on this potential protocol. If you have any questions or would like an explanation of any of the rules, please just ask and I will be happy to try to clarify...this will go before the board in the next couple of weeks.
SUGGESTED RED WATTLE ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION PROTOCOL
1. Any boar approved for the AI program must be approved by the RWHA board. He must meet all the requirements for a blue card boar.
2. No recovery boars may be used for the AI program unless DNA is submitted to the RWHA board and this DNA results in the boar being a minimum of 85% pure Red Wattle.
3. All boars approved for AI will have 5 pictures submitted to the RWHA board. The pictures submitted must show the left side, right side, directly from the front, directly from the rear. These pictures must clearly show the legs of the boar. An additional picture looking down on the back of the boar must also be submitted.
4. Any company that owns a boar to be used in an AI program and will be performing the semen collection, will not have to be a member in order to have the piglet registered. The owner of the sow who farrows the litter from which the piglets are registered, will still have to be a member of the association in order to have the piglets registered.
5. Each boar approved will have the pictures permanently posted on the website along with the lineage of each boar. These pictures are to remain on the website for the lifetime of the association. This allows the membership access to the information on these boars for future research. All information pertaining to this boar including a change in AI status, health status and genetic faults found to be attributed to this boar, must be permanently noted in that boars information on the website.
6. Each piglet that is registered under the AI program will be given a registration number with the designation of AI and the number of the piglet registered sired by that boar. Example: registration #1234-AI01-01 (the RWHA registration number followed by the first piglet registered by the first boar admitted to the AI program. Example: #1235-AI01-02 would be the registration number of the second piglet registered to the boar AI01) These designations will be permanent. This will allow those breeders that wish to keep AI progeny out of their herds to research the lineage and know if they are getting a pig from that program.
7. All piglets registered via the AI program will submit an AI certification form that is signed by the tech that performed the AI, along with the registration application.
8. In order to avoid some of the problems that other registries have had with the over-use of a small number of superb sires, the Red Wattle Hog Association will put a “cap”on the maximum number of registered piglets that one boar can sire via AI. That number will be set at 30 for the first 3 years of the program. If in 3 years the number of people using the AI program is less than 8% of the number of members, the number of piglets can be adjusted to a greater number. The piglets that do not enter into the registry will not be counted toward the 30 piglet maximum.
Any piglet that is kept by the collector as a replacement boar for the AI program can be registered without that piglet being counted toward the 30 piglet limit. This replacement must be kept for replacement purposes and used in an AI program. There will be only one replacement boar registered per AI approved boar. If at any time, another replacement boar is desired, the collector may register a second boar if, and only if, that new replacement takes the place of a currently registered boar of that same direct line and the boar that is being replaced is taken out of the AI offering.
9. There can be no more than two boars of the same sire being used by one collector at any given time.
10. Any boar that is used in the AI program and has reached his maximum of 30 piglets entered into the registry, can be used in live cover and continue to have his piglets registered. Piglets born to live cover tend to stay in a more localized area and they generally do not travel across country. This means that, for the most part, any problems that may be found with that one sire in the future, the majority of the pigs that are affected by this boar will be in a more centralized area and not spread to far out into the US.
11. Once a boar is approved for the AI program, the semen collector will be given a certificate of approval from the RWHA along with 30 registration numbers that are designated for that boar. These 30 numbers are to be distributed by the collector. It is our recommendation that the collector offers two numbers along with the certification of service to the sow’s owner. This would encourage people to register only the very best of each litter and they allow the collector to use the boar for a longer period of time. No boar will be given more than the maximum number of registration numbers…no exceptions to this rule.
12. Any member found to be using AI and registering piglets as the product of live cover will be banned from the RWHA for a period of two years on their first offense. Any future offense for the same infraction will result in permanent ban from the association.
13. Any semen collection agency that is found to be non-compliant to the rules set forth by the RWHA, will be removed from the approved semen source list on the website and any un-used registration numbers issued to the company/agency will be considered null and void. That company will then be banned from registrations for a period of 3 years.
Dr Sponenberg's seal of approval!
From: dpsponen@vt.edu<mailto:dpsponen@vt.edu>
This is actually very, very good! I cannot think of anything to add. The wording is good, and the thinking behind the rules is very good and very well explained. This is an excellent first step, and sets the stage for getting experience with this in a manner that is safe for the breed.
>
> Good work!
>
> Phil