What the Commercial Pork Producer Needs to Know about Genetic Improvement

North Carolina State University Animal Science Fact Sheet ANS02-820S. The Commercial Pork Producers role in genetics is generally to take the end result of a genetic improvement program and manage animals in a manner to maximize expression of their genetic potential. For pork producers there are two main goals: 1) Improve efficiency of production, and 2) Improve end product quality. There are two approaches that can be taken to accomplish these goals: 1) improve management, nutrition and environment and, 2) improve genetic quality. The intent of this publication is to provide pork producers the information necessary to understand how genetic improvement programs interrelate with production management.