Could Blood Tests Help Breed Disease-Resistant Pigs?

Keeping pigs healthy is one of the biggest challenges Canadian producers face. Researchers wanted to know if simple blood tests could help identify pig families that are naturally more resistant to disease. A team from the Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement collected blood samples from 893 Yorkshire, Landrace, and Duroc pigs across 13 herds in Canada. They measured blood cell counts and immune system responses to see whether these traits varied between breeds and could be passed down to offspring. They found meaningful differences between breeds, and importantly, many of these blood-based traits appear to be heritable — meaning they can be influenced through selective breeding. This is promising news for producers. If disease resistance can be measured through blood tests and selected for in breeding programs, it could mean healthier, more resilient pig herds over time — reducing illness and mortality on-farm. Researchers plan to follow up by linking these results to actual mortality and performance data.