A co-ordinated plan to tackle urgently needed research in the British pig industry is being drawn up by the British Pig Executive (BPEX).

Director of Pig Industry Development Mark Wilson is writing to research scientists and development workers in the pig industry.

He is pulling together ideas with a view to commissioning programmes of work appropriate to the needs of the industry.

Mark said: "The BPEX strategy for the development of a sustainable pig industry in the UK began with "The Road to Recovery" which was developed with extensive consultation with the pig industry.

"With a research and development strategy in place to deliver the goals of R2R, BPEX will begin to address the challenges facing the industry now and in the future through research and development, demonstration, knowledge transfer and industry uptake.

"The proposals we are looking for must include plans for demonstration and knowledge transfer.

"To start with, programme commissioning will be based on the priorities identified after extensive consultation with the pig industry."

These priorities are:

• Control of endemic, enteric and respiratory disease.
• Control and eradication of specific diseases.
• Matching nutrient requirement to pig potential.
• Nutrition and feeding systems management.
• Enhancement of welfare.
• Improvement in the quality of pig meat eating experience.
• Enhancement of benefits of consuming pig meat.
• Management and business control systems.

Mark said: "Proposals that focus on near future industry problems and the winning of relatively immediate product quality enhancements and efficiency gains will be favoured in the short term.

"BPEX is also looking to fund PhDs linked to these research projects so we can make sure we attract top quality scientists to continue to provide technical support for the industry. "

Anybody wishing to submit concept notes should contact Mark for further information, Mark_Wilson@mlc.org.uk or fax 01908 844214.