Commentaries by Dr. Ron Bates

Dr.Ron Bates will be providing monthly commentaries to the FARMS.COM web site. Ron is one of two State Swine Specialists at Michigan State University. His program area is Swine Genetics Management and has been at Michigan State University since August, 1996.

Click on the links below to read further

• Challenges of Improving Pork Quality Through Genetic Selection (PDF)
• How Different are Lines and Breeds for Pork Quality? (PDF)
• Thinking About Pork Quality? (PDF)
• How to Use EPDs and EBVs in Commercial Herds (PDF)
• Are All Major Genes and DNA Markers Equal? (PDF)
• Ruptures: Due to Genetics or Otherwise? (PDF)
• Choosing Sires to Produce Replacement Females (PDF)
• Selection of Sows to Produce Replacement Gilts - Part 2 (PDF)
• Selection of Sows to Produce Replacement Gilts - Part 1 (PDF)
• Closed your breeding program? Two breeds or three within your maternal rotation? (PDF)
• Reproductive Age, what does genetics have to do with it?
• Swine Genetics Management