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Rex Walters

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14 Articles

Rex Walters is a leading pig geneticist.

He studied Animal Science at Wye College (Imperial, University of London) and then stayed on to complete a Master of Philosophy by research in pig genetics. This was followed by a Doctorate in 1984. He spent four years lecturing and doing research, followed by appointment as Livestock Geneticist with the multinational Unilever Agribusiness Group. He then became Technical Director of one of the global Pig Breeding Companies. For more than a decade he has operated an independent consultancy (Livestock Genetics Ltd.) in livestock breeding and genetics with key clients in Asia, Australia, Europe and South America.

Rex is an adviser to several national and international organisations (including the British Pig Association) and is an appointed expert and monitor in livestock breeding and biotechnology to the European Commission in Brussels.

Rex has published, or presented, more than 150 papers on pig breeding and genetics and is a regular invited contributor to international seminars and conferences. He is particularly interested in the practical exploitation of genetics and genetic conservation

Rex Walters 14 Articles

Genetic resistance to PRRS

Rex Walters R. Walters
There is sufficient genetic variation in host response to infection to allow future breeding goals for enhanced resistance or tolerance so that there are grounds to believe that it may be possible to breed commercial animals that have increased genetic resistance or tolerance to the disease.

How common are genetic defects?

Rex Walters R. Walters
A survey was undertaken in a large anonymous European Breeding Company over a four year period ending March 2010. In total, 175843 pigs born were evaluated to establish the incidence of congenital defects and additional assessments were made at 95kg. More than half the total defects were identified in the growing and fattening period rather than at birth.

When will genomics deliver?

Rex Walters R. Walters

Does the complexity and expense of genomics mean that it will only be available to the major global pig breeding companies in the future? If the price of genotyping continues to reduce, it may be possible for medium and smaller size breeding companies to share funding and identify desired genotypes.