The new AI-station ‘Velt Plus’ is based in Gornji Milanovac, Serbia. The country may not be known as a major pig producing one, but the country can rely on strong traditions and has some advantages to further develop it.
Vojvodina has the arable land for corn and protein production, the Danube is an exit towards the Black Sea and the traditional link to Russia can make exports easier. On the other hand, the country is preparing the entrance to the EU.
Farms in Vojvodina are on average bigger compared to the rest of the country. Fully integrated production systems have the land, the pigs and the pig meat processing. The number of sows varies from 700 to 5500. The area of Mačva and Srem is known for smaller sized family farms. The AI center is ideally located to deliver the male line sperm to those farms. Female line production of customers in Vojvodina will be linked towards boars in this AI station via GENMATCH program. They’ll keep on importing the terminal sires directly from Europe.
This year, the first shipment of 30 boars of RA-SE Genetics was delivered from Belgium to the new AI station in Gornji Milanovac, around 120km south of Belgrade. Due to low density of pigs in the area and good biosecurity on the farm, the highest health level boars are sent.
It is the only AI station in Serbia that fulfils all EU rules about animal welfare, health status and sperm quality control.
The combination of high health and top quality genetics will undoubtedly be a plus for Serbian pig producers.