If the Australian pork and grain industries are successful in developing varieties of wheat and barley specifically for pigs, it could trigger cost savings for pork producers and increased revenue for grain growers.
Professor John Pluske from the Animal Research Institute at Murdoch University said because feed is a major cost associated with the production of pork, then the cost of production could be lowered if the efficiency and/or cost of the feed can be improved. "We want to try and reduce the cost of feeding pigs to improve the efficiency and profitability for Australian pork producers," Prof Pluske said.
The project is a collaboration between the Animal Research Institute at Murdoch University, Animal Research and Development (Pig Group) at the WA Agriculture and Food Department (DAFWA) and InterGrain.
The grain lines are currently being trialled in WA, SA, Victoria and NSW but experts won't know if the grain is suitable until after harvest in 2010.
