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2008 July Herdsire Issue
What constitutes a herdsire?
by Clint Schwab
I don’t believe many established breeders would oppose my argument that the context of a “herdsire” has largely eroded over time.
Recently, we seem to be more interested in “hot pedigrees” than those I would consider to involve true herdsires. I’m concerned that, at times, we use the term a bit too loosely.
This issue features many prominent herdsires from various breeding programs across the country. The unfortunate truth of the matter is, while some will populate the pedigrees of many good hogs in the future, the names of others will become unfamiliar by next season.
The question: what creates the difference and enables a boar to withstand the test of time?
I’m sure many of you have heard the quote, “How a man is remembered after his death has little to do with what he accomplished during his lifetime, but has more to do with the legacy he leaves behind.”
I think this also describes the essence of what makes a true herdsire.
For some breeders, a prevalent herdsire indicates the stability of a genetic program or reveals their priorities for future direction.
Perhaps most importantly, a herdsire is the staple of a long-term breeding program based on stockmanship and principle. Many times, the influence of a herdsire is best exposed in the prevalence of dominant sow families within an operation.
Anyone involved in the purebred industry for a measureable period of time can list at least a handful of sires that appear in numerous pedigrees throughout many generations. Why do you suppose that is?
In general, those prominent pedigree names have accomplished long-term effects on both sides of the pedigree. Their sons are valued and used, while their daughters function and last for many people.
The point is, a true herdsire is not a boar that will only aggressively change one trait. He can do more than that.
In some cases, there is so much current emphasis on mass and bone and little attention to their downstream effects. It will be interesting to see how many popular boars today will actually be recognizable names in the future.
The concept of a herdsire within the development of a balanced breeding program is evident among all facets of the industry.
Purebred breeders involved in the commercial sector deal with a simple fact every day – there are some areas of improvement where EPDs just won’t help much. Without the use of stockmanship and a conceptual understanding of the phenotypic evaluation of skeletal design, we are unable to effectively make progress in traits like soundness and durability.
However, I believe the deepest understanding of the most effective way to combine these traits with a sire/sow family structure lies within the purebred livestock industry. This allows the development of a strong breeding program and enables progress in those complex and long-term traits like the length of a female’s productive life.
Please allow me to extend a simple piece of advice. The next time you purchase a pig as an addition to your herd, or even just as a show prospect, ask to see the dam.
If you’re at a sale, ask the breeder to describe how she’s made and what her contributions have been to the herd. What does the rest of the litter look like? Who is the maternal grandsire?
In my opinion, this can help ensure what you purchase will continue to be what you see now.
I encourage you to dig in and take a look. I think you’ll realize the vast majority of pigs considered to be the “good ones,” regardless of breed, come from a strong breeding program that wasn’t established overnight. There was a plan in mind.
And almost always, you will find an influential herdsire on the bottom side of the pedigree.
As breeders, I believe now more than ever this concept must be taught.
