The Semirechensk is a Kazakh breed of domestic pig. It was purpose-bred in the twentieth century in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union (now Kazakhstan). The breeding stock was principally Large White, with some admixture of Siberian Kemerovo and a small proportion of wild boar.[3]: 686 [4]: 131
| Conservation status | FAO (2007): not at risk[1]: 73 |
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| Other names | |
| Country of origin | Soviet Union |
| Distribution | Kazakhstan |
| Use | meat |
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History
editThe Semirechensk was the result of a programme of selective breeding conducted between 1947 and 1966 in south-eastern Kazakhstan under the auspices of the Institute of Experimental Biology of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR. The aim was to improve the adaptation of the British Large White to the extreme climatic conditions of the area, where summer temperatures may be close to 50°C, and winter low temperatures close to -50°C. To this end, Large Whites were to a small extent inter-bred with Asiatic wild boar, and the resulting hybrids cross-bred with Kemerovo stock from southern Siberia; the final result was at least 75% Large White, with some 6–12% wild boar blood.[3]: 686 [4]: 131 It had similar production qualities to the Large White, but better adaptation to the climate, a higher resistance to heat, and lower susceptibility to a number of diseases.[4]: 132
The breed received official recognition in 1978; it was originally named the Kazakh Hybrid, kazakhskaya gibridnaya porodnaya gruppa.[3]: 686 By 1980 the purebred stock had reached some 43000 head, with almost 6000 breeding sows and about 1200 active boars. It was reared mainly in the oblasts of Alma-Ata, Jambul, Karaganda, Shymkent and Taldy-Kurgan.[4]: 132
Breed numbers later dropped substantially, and in 1990 the total population was reported to be approximately 3400.[3]: 686 [2]
References
edit- ^ Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
- ^ a b c Breed data sheet: Semirechensk / Kazakhstan (Pig). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed May 2021.
- ^ a b c d Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.
- ^ a b c d N.G. Dmitriev, L.K. Ernst (1989). Animal genetic resources of the USSR. FAO animal production and health paper 65. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9251025827. Archived 13 November 2009. Also available here, archived 29 September 2017.