Are pig genome maps being used today to improve production?
Yes. Knowledge we have gained about the location of specific genes within the pig genome has yielded a blood test that allows producers to identify whether an animal carries the gene for porcine stress syndrome (PSS), a hereditary disease that leads to animal death or a reduction in carcass quality. What other applications are on the horizon? Like the early explorers developing maps and strategies permitting safe and economical navigation to other lands, mapping the pig genome will be an adventure requiring tremendous efforts. It will be a journey through unknown genetic territory, across which even the most seasoned of researchers will at times find themselves lost. And like the riches sometimes found by early explorers seeking easier or quicker routes through barely known terrain, unforeseen treasures will also undoubtedly be stumbled upon. Great promise has already been realized for improving carcass and growth characteristics. Other findings suggest that improved litter size will a
