Thread: Genetic samples needed from NZ feral breed pigs

There is international research project being done on the genetic differences between domestic breeds of pigs and various feral pig breeds around the World.

Since NZ has a number of feral pig breeds, the researchers have asked the Rare Breeds Conservation Society NZ, for help with collecting enough samples (at least 30 samples are needed for each breed).

The collection is made by taking a hole punch sized tissue sample from the ear, in live pigs, or a small piece of muscle from a dead pig. The sample is then put into a glass tube, that has a few mls of DNA preservative added to it.

The breeds that they are still looking for more samples from are;

Auckland Island pigs (captive bred)
Kune kune pigs (both domestic and feral, if any still are)
Arapawa Island pigs
Canterbury Blue pigs (still need a number of samples for this breed)
European Wild boar pigs (probably domestic bred)

If there are still any pure Captain Cookers out there, we'd appreciate samples from them as well. But I haven't seen any of them for a while.

The samples will be used for DNA genome sequencing of the World's pig populations. It will help them to work out the origins of each of our feral breeds and how they are linked to past domestic breeds of pigs. Many of which may have now died out, in their country of origin.

Michael Willis, from the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch, is coordinating the collections. Samples tubes are available to those who can collect their own samples, for posting back to Michael.

Let me know if you need more information about collecting samples from your pigs. Email; inger@keymer.name

Thanks for any help you can provide for this worthwhile project.

On behalf of the Committee,
Rare Breeds Conservation Society of NZ,

Inger Keymer.