UNIVERSITY PARK - Leaner
pork is a reality when pigs are
injected with somatotropin, a
naturally occurring protein hor
mone in swine, says a Penn State
animal scientist.
“This leaner pork should be
more acceptable to consumerswho
are concerned about the con
sumption of saturated fat and' its
association with coronary heart
disease,” says Terry Etherton,
associate professor of animal
nutrition.
Etherton has completed studies
in which pigs injected with the
somatotropin are consistently
leaner with increased muscle
and decreased fat than those not
injected
“Somatotropin is a naturally
occurring protein hormone
produced in the pituitary gland,”
he says. “It is one of the most
important protein hormones in
volved in the regulation of animal
growth.” In this light, he says, his
studies have used the strategy of
administering more somatotropin
than the pig would produce nor
mally.
A recent study showed that pigs
that received somatotropin for 30
days grew 14 percent more
rapidly. In addition, carcass fat
was decreased by 30 percent while
muscle mass was increased.
“The improvement of feed ef
ficiency by more than 20 percent is
a development that can save pork
producers $2 to $4 billion per year
in feed costs,” the professor says.
“The use of somatotropin has the
potential to revolutionize animal
agriculture,” Etherton points out.
“The impact on animal industry is
a leaner product produced more
efficiently.”
Penn State animal scientists
have pioneered the use of pig
somatotropin to increase the
growth rate, improve carcass
composition and markedly
enhance feed efficiency (quantity
of feed consumed per quantity of
weight gained).
In the most recent study, where
pigs were treated with
somatotropin daily for three
months, the responses were “very
dramatic,” Etherton says.
The pigs in Etherton’s studies
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Leaner pork a reality with hormone injections
have been injected with
somatotropin daily. But, he says,
“a farmer isn’t going to inject his
pigs every day” for the five to six
months it takes a pig to reach
market weight.
“Thus, the critical question to be
resolved is the mechanism of
delivery,” the professor says.
“For example, it would be
beneficial to have a delivery
system whereby a farmer would
BIRD-IN-HAND Learning to
merchandise cows effectively
through advertising, promotion
and photography was the basic
goal of everyone at the Holstein
Investment Opportunities (HIO)
Workshop held recently at the
Bird-In-Hand Motel.
Ron Buffington of HIO explained
at the start of the workshop,
“There is no fun in wholesaling a
product, we need to retail it and
make things happen.”
Ruth Benedict, also of HIO,
confirmed this idea by explaining
that this is done by “developing
profitable marketing skills. ’ ’
Creating effective ads and what
ads should contain was one topic
that discussed at length at the
workshop.
Prior to developing ads, a
foundation for a advertising
program is needed. This is ac
complished by the establishment
of marketing goals and periodic
evaluation of these goals.
When working on an ad, the
layout that is considered must be
attractive and easy to follow. The
parts must have continuity to keep
the reader’s attention.
A reader’s attention is drawn to
an ad by its originality, uniqueness
and flashiness.
After capturing the reader’s
attention, it must be maintained
and increased through the ad’s
components. Interest is generated
through a headline or introduction.
Simplicity is often the best rule to
follow with both components.
Entering into the body of an ad,
the information must be complete
and concise. Details pertaining to
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inject a pig urn; once every M
days.
“We envision that the delivery
system would then release the
somatotropin at some fixed daily
rate over a period of time,
eliminating the need for the daily
injection.”
The development of a delivery
system is an area of intense -
research in the United States Etherton notes, “Somatotropin
because a breakthrough in this as b®® n produced by recombinant
area would make the use of technology and it appears
where an animal can be pur
chased, how to reach the farm for
more details, and why she is im
portant are pertainent to an ad’s
effectiveness.
A farm logo provides ready
identification of the farm with the
reader and its importance should
not be overlooked. Any farm that
does not have a logo should
seriously consider obtaining one,
Buffington suggested, since it is a
strong advertising tool. The logo
needs to be simple, versatile and
different enough to draw attention.
Many ads feature photographs of
cows. Judy Black from Agri-
Graphics discussed some things to
consider when photographing
cows.
On the day of the photo, she said,
the animals must be clipped,
trained to lead, washed com
pletely, feet trimmed, and the
udder should be full of milk to
attain the best photo.
A good photo allows prospective
buyers that cannot come and view
the cow in person to see its out
standing qualities.
When done correctly and by a
professional, a photo can be a very
effective marketing tool, Black
said.
Marketing cows is a must for any
dairyman who intends to stay in
the business, Glenn Freese from
Glee-Hi Holsteins said. He com
pared the Holstein business to a
ladder with those on top doing
everything from milking cows to
contract matings. The guy on the
bottom is simply milking cows, he
noted, and urged anyone at the
bottom to make the commitment to
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somatotropin commercially
feasible, Etherton says.
The pharmaceutical industry
has been encouraged by the
positive results of the studies
conducted at The Pennsylvania
State University and are working
on a somatotropin-based product,
the professor says.
move up the ladder.
To achieve the goal of moving up
the ladder, it is necessary to learn
how to turn registration papers
into dollars through mer
chandising, Freese stated. Success
in this venture is contagious and
moving up the ladder becomes
easier, he added.
Time, finances and opportunity
. the < >. workshop, Glenn Freese*
left and Harold Bare, right, are congratulated by Ruth
were, left, Larry Kennel, Barry Hostetter, Alvin Stoltzfus and
Melvin Stoltzfus.
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that this technology will produce
somatotropin at a cost that is not
rate-limiting for the development
of the product.”
Currently, studies are underway
in Etherton’s laboratory to
determine if the recombinantly
derived somatotropin produces the
same responses as die pituitary
derived somatotropin. He may
have the answer by summer, he
says.
are important key elements in
acquiring these goals according to
Benedict. Through promotion and
management, which includes
items such as feeding and
breeding, the bottom line or return
on investment can be great. The
bottom line, Benedict emphasized,
is the reason for the importance of
merchandising cattle in the
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