Congential anomalies in pigs : genetics helps to address this concern

Congenital disorders are characterised by a malformation of a tissue or a body part, recognizable at birth.Common abnormalities in pig herds are umbilical hernias, scrotal/inguinal hernias, cryptorchidy and intersexuality.It is accepted that congenital disorders are affected by genetic, environmental, infectious and nutritional factors. The genetic basis is still poorly understood. The abnormalities have clearly an impact on animal welfare.They also contribute to economic losses. In 2007, pig stakeholders gave priority to study congenital disorders. A first step was to elaborate technical data sheets describing main disorders. Breeders and technical staff are invited to use these sheets to identify disorders and provide proper information for further analysis. The second step, under construction, is to set up a database with both disorder descriptions and DNA from affected pigs and their relative (sire, dam, affected and unaffected full sibs) to carry out a genetic analysis of these traits. Additionally, a European partnership could lead to new research prospect