Agro industrial firm “Mortadel” Ltd is the first in CIS who has brought, adapted, and successfully works with Canadian technologies and genetics. Our meeting with the general director of the firm took place in a neat two-storeyed building. Volodymyr Epishyn lives in the house most of his time, because it is 80 km to get home and very often he has to work overtime. Sometimes the owner of the business Mykola Ahurbash and company’s guests also stay in the house. An interesting detail is that the house is built on the territory of pig complex, almost between swine barns. I am sure you have wrinkled your nose instinctively. But you shouldn’t have: the territory and the air are perfectly clean. The company proves one more time that modern pig complex is not the place for dirt, stink and discomfort. One just has to work with enthusiasm and professionalism. Volodymyr Epishyn knows what he does and loves his job.

— What are the peculiarities of Canadian technologies? And why did you choose the experience of Canadian pig producers?

— I have been working in pig production for more than 20 years. I know successful and failing projects. So, starting a new business we decided not to invent a bicycle, but to learn world’s leading experience in pig production and to choose the best. We visited Denmark, Germany, and the Netherland and almost chose English pattern of pig production. But when we saw Canadian swine barns we understood at once that we found what we needed.

Buildings with roofs perforated for ventilators are typical for European system. Some of them let fresh cool air enter, which catches dirty, worked out air according to law of aerodynamics, while others take it out. Both procedures consume a lot of energy: in order not to subject animals to stress and not to make drafts an extra energy is needed to control the speed of aeration.

Another peculiarity of European technologies is that they don’t use deep manure pits. That’s the reason why ammonia goes through slatted floor, and no matter how good the building ventilation is, the ammonia stays at the level 30-50sm under the floor. The constant being in ammonia means for a pig toxic influence on heart, leaver, kidneys, blood etc. So, with our own hands we destroy the development of the genetic potential of the animals. Canadian farmers found easy solutions of these problems 50 years ago: they lengthened the depth of manure pits and put a ventilator in the basement, it makes discharged air there. So, hard ammonia goes straight to the basement through the slatted floor. Now I will answer your question concerning what has become the last argument for choosing Canadian technologies. I selected pigs for our farm personally, during quarantine I lived on the farm of our companion from Canadian genetic company. I lived on the second floor; there was a pig house just under my room and on another side of the wall there was a private kindergarten, the governor of the kindergarten was our companion’s daughter. Such neighborhood proves a lot.

— Why Canadian pigs?

— Because the quality of the meat and industrial results are acknowledged all over the world

— But Danish, French pigs, etc. are also called the best?...

— What technological decisions of “Mortadel” help to achieve good production results?

— How do you manage to utilize the manure only once a year?

— Western European genetic companies offer hybrid pigs. How can “Mortadel” Ltd be not afraid of competition selling purebred pigs?

— During 4 years of existence the enterprise received more than 160 thousand offsprings from 657 Canadian sows and boars. What is the secret of keeping the structure of the herd and high economic results?

— Is there any sense to use multybreed cross?

— The head of each module of breeding plant of “Mortadel” is Philosophy doctor. How does the company involve high-grade specialists?

You can read more in the magazine publication “Profitable pig production”, №2, December 2010.