Characterization as experimental animals on mini-pigs in China

对中国和越南发现的最小猪的体型、繁殖能力等进行了调查，以开发小型猪作为实验动物。去年对中国东南沿海海南岛的小猪进行了调查，但这些动物都是杂交的，没有发现适合用作实验动物的小猪。今年，将在越南老挝边境的山区进行调查。对每个地区的小部落进行了访问，并对当地的猪进行了检查。结果，在中部地区发现了一只小黑猪（在某些情况下是黑色和白色的），在越南南部地区发现了一只灰色条纹的小猪。这两头猪都比其他来自中国的猪小，但它们并不像预期的那么小。然而，它们比目前在日本饲养的哥廷根迷你猪或皇冠迷你猪要小，因此可以作为生产新型迷你猪的基础。在越南，由于杂交，小型猪正在迅速变大，而小型猪品种正在迅速消失。我们确信，尽快将这些小猪培育成实验动物是至关重要的，但调查结果显示，该地区的疾病仍在流行，目前很难将这些猪进口到日本。从一项为期3年的调查中可以清楚地看出，在中国和越南存在着小猪，并且可以指定品种作为实验动物进行开发。

A survey was undertaken on the body sizes, reproductivity, etc. of the smallest pigs found in China and Vietnam for development of miniature pigs as laboratory animals. Last year, a survey of small pigs on Hainan Island of the southeast coast of China was performed, but these animals were all cross bred and no small pigs suitable for use as laboratory animals were found. This year, surveys will be performed in mountainous areas along the Laotian border in Vietnam.Small tribal groups in each region were visited and the indigenous pigs were examined. As a result, a small black pig (both black and white in some cases) was found in the central part and a small gray striped pig was located in the southern part of Vietnam.These pigs were both smaller than other pigs from China, but they were not as small as expected. However, they are smaller than the Gottingen minipig or the Crown minipig currently maintained in Japan, and it was concluded that they could serve as a basis for production of new miniature pigs. In Vietnam, the smallpigs are quickly becoming larger due to cross-breeding, and the small strains of pigs are rapidly disappearing. We are convinced that it is essential to develop these small pigs as laboratory animals as soon as pdssible, but the survey results showed that diseases in the region are still epidemic and it will be difficult to import these pigs into Japan at present. From a 3-year survey, it was clear that small pigs are present in China and Vietnam, and strains can be designated for development as laboratory animals.