Berk Cross Boar

[txberks]

I've been raising Berkshires for several years now in Texas. I have learned a lot but I'm light years from being an expert. To this point all my litters have been registered Berkshires. This paper does me no good in Texas. When my pure bred breks, with too much white, crosses out they must show in a class with much supior genetics. Not to mention, that most berks in Texas show as BOPB. Again, we're at a disadvantage here for obvious reasons.
Due to the aforementioned, I'm starting a berk cross program. I'm looking for black crosses that are known to throw berk appearing pigs. If anyone could help me with this I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

BTW, please feel free to chime in on the ethics of doing this or any other points that I have failed to mention.

[HogDoc]

I'd bet you will have to make your own cross boar that has a fair amount of Berk in him to get consistently classifying pigs.

[txberks]

Hogdoc, you make a good point that I have not considered. I was trying to make the sow first. Does the color pattern primarily come from the boar?

[bcbully]

I'm not a swine geneticist and swine color/pattern is not a simple genetic hierarchy. I'll give it a shot though and people that know more can correct me where I may go wrong.

The color comes from both parents. The Berkshire color pattern is recessive. If you breed a Berk to a york the pigs are white, if you breed a berk to a duroc the pigs are red with black spots, if you breed a berk to a hamp you bet black belted. If you can get a good berk marked cross and breed to berk boars you may have a pretty good chance.

If you can find a cross with the pietrain color pattern you may be able to get a fair amount of berk classifying pigs when bred to a berk boar.

[txberks]

Bcbully, that is great information and explains a lot. I had a cross boar get out and breed a berk sow. She threw out 16 crossed up pigs. I thought it was just her but I will now assume my whole herd has recessive color genes. Thanks for your help.

[SV]

I would breed to typical Berk appearing Berks. You should be able to get the color right at least on most of the litter. I have seen several "crossbreds" trying to show as a berk but in the end they usually are beaten by the purebreds (at least in Oklahoma) I think you will have way more pigs class Berk if using purebred than trying to cross them. I know there are a lot of white marks in the Berks today but you can find traditionally marked ones that are really good.

[mtbkmom]

Had a berk breeder here in TX breed 2 of his better sows to a well known, very black looking berk boar and both litters---not 1 pig will class berk because of all of the white. That "recessive" piece is the mystery---you don't know you got it until stuff happens. I wish the classifying system would allow a registered barrow to trump their "impression classification". In other words, if they class out a purebred berk barrow, the kid has registration paperwork in his pocket, the paperwork over rules the judges. Even with just a few not "classing" as berks---a huge amount of money in multiple litters can be lost.

[Mary-Okie]

I wish the classifying system would allow a registered barrow to trump their "impression classification". In other words, if they class out a purebred berk barrow, the kid has registration paperwork in his pocket, the paperwork over rules the judges. Even with just a few not "classing" as berks---a huge amount of money in multiple litters can be lost.

He had better have DNA verification that the barrow in question is actually out of the sire and dam on the registration paper. The lion share of all the litters today are being produced via A.I., so anyone with a registered Berk sow and proof of purchase of registered Berk semen at the time of A.I. can get registration papers on a litter even if they aren't actually out of the AI boar or even that registered sow.

OYE tried the registered purebred route back in the early 90's and it was a disaster. You had Berks with half belts and probably 25% of them wouldn't classify under the classification system the year before. They scrapped that after one year and went back to the old classification system.

[txberks]

MTBKMOM, you hit it on the head. There is way too much money involved to have a litter where only half are sellable pigs due to markings. It would be different if you could sell the others as crosses. Instead I have pens full of feeder pigs.

Mary-Okie, I agree with the loop holes that you mentioned. I also understand that you can't have the opposite extreme "berks with belts." There has to be a happy medium.

Either way, I know now why very few raise pure breeds.

[Darin]

I don't have anything to add to the conversation, other than to say I've enjoyed reading this thread and I really like your Henry Ford quote!

[diceman]

I think part of the classifying issue is the somewhat large amount of white allowed in the purebred Berkshire shows. I went to the STC show in Springfield this last summer and noticed the wide variation in color patterns. Everything from what looked to be belts, to body spots, to white legs up to and including part of the ham. Just an observation - doesn't really help, but maybe the Berkshire breeders could address this in their breeding barns and produce more consistent "Berkshire markings" in the future. Or if the registry accepts these markings - maybe change classification criteria.

[dcamp57]

we agree spent a lot of time on the phone with Amy at the ABA last year, and noticed that there is a change to the rules, when reg excess white is now a disqualification in breed classes i was grateful for her hard work to do this change, I am sure it made a lot of breeders up set however they will again start to look like Berkshires and not spots

[bcbully]

Here's one that the Laird's bred, he's an Iceman(Cross) x Superfly (Berk). You might want to give them a call and see if they can help direct you do boars.

http://www.showpig-auctions.com/Auction ... /38-7A.jpg