Pig International

"Pig International" is a magazine covering all aspects of pig related news. My primary interest in the magazine is fundamentally framed by my biological education and interests, and while it suitable for scientists interested in contemporary porcine developments it is actually geared to pig farmers and the pork industry.

Each issue generally features a theme of relevance (the March 2007 issue, the latest at the time of this writing, was called "The Corn Issue," for instance.) Each issue reports on current macro-level pork market news, such as the recent national downturn in the British pork industry. All stories are well sourced and feature genuine experts: for instance the aforementioned story on the British pig downturn (written by Peter Best) interviewed Stewart Houston, the head of Britain's National Pig Association. The scope of the market analysis is very broad, and the reporting consistently well researched and clearly written. Frequent reports from important producing countries such as Denmark and Brazil give the magazine a distinctly international character.

More to my line of interests, the articles on biological factors and the veterinary care of pigs are expert and scientifically rigorous. The coverage is not limited to pigs but to relevant tangents such as herd management, breeding, feed, and antibiotic developments. Advanced techniques such as ultrasound and genetic analysis are frequently featured, and numerous academic institutions from the University of Minnesota to the University of Leipzig frequently are cited for their sophisticated studies. I have a particular interest in genetics, and the magazine covers the field of pig genetics exceptionally clearly. A typical feature is that seen in the March 2007 edition on the Meishan ("Milk from the Meishan,") a breed famous for its fertility in China, which was the subject of an investigation by Dr. Chantal Farmer from the Swine Research and Development Centre of Agriculture and Agri-Food in Lennoxville, Quebec.

In addition to the features a "Names in the News" section reads like a "Who's Who" of the pork industry, while new products and meetings like the World Pork Expo are featured in smaller columns designed to be brief and informative.

The magazine is recommended for anyone interested in the pork industry, pig biology, or farming. I awarded it four stars as it is an excellent magazine overall, though I would prefer more of an emphasis on pig biology (especially genetic, histological, and cytological studies) and less on the commercial aspects of the business; bear in mind that a pig farmer or packing house will feel conversely. Overall "Pig International" is a good compromise between the needs of biologists, veterinarians, farmers, and the commercial pork industry.