On 10–13 February 2025, a Scientific Seminar was held in Ustroń as part of the 17th Prof. Marian Różycki Winter School. The main topic was “Pork production strategies and the problem of food security”.
The main organizer was the Department of Pig Breeding of the National Research Institute of Animal Production, in cooperation with the Poznań University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences; West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Department of Monogastric Animal Sciences, Department of Pig Breeding and Department of Genetics; Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Department of Animal Breeding; and Polish Pig Breeders and Producers Association POLSUS. The seminar was attended by 102 participants, including researchers from universities and research institutes, representatives of pig breeders, as well as many companies involved in breeding, feed and feed additive production, slaughtering, pork processing and trade.
Three plenary sessions were held during the seminar, with nine papers presented:
– Water retention problems in agricultural areas in the context of crops and breeding – Jacek Jarząbek, State Water Holding Polish Waters, National Water Management Authority
– The digital future of agriculture: A vision of the Farmer’s Portal as an innovative tool in farm and livestock management – Marek Szulc, Agro Aplikacje Sp. z o.o.
– Hunting pros and cons in the context of pork production strategy – Wojciech Kozera, Krzysztof Karpiesiuk, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn
– Quality, safety – for the consumer, technologist and breeder – Władysław Migdał, University of Agriculture, Kraków
– Selected unconventional feeds in pig production – Marcin Sońta, Anna Rekiel, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw
– Environmental factors affecting fattening and slaughter traits of pigs – Anita Zaworska-Zakrzewska, Poznań University of Life Sciences
– Nutritional factors influencing fattening efficiency and carcass quality – Małgorzata Kasprowicz-Potocka, Poznań University of Life Sciences
– Pork quality in the results of the mEATquality project – Agnieszka Ludwiczak, Poznań University of Life Sciences
– mEATquality: for consumers and farmers – Karolina Szulc, Dagmara Łodyga, Poznań University of Life Sciences
During the Winter School, a breeding practice session was also held, during which the breeder Tomasz Orłowski from the Lubelskie Voivodeship presented his achievements and an employee of Polish Pig Breeders and Producers Association POLSUS, Jakub Borkowski, presented “With the eye of a zootechnician – how to work in a pig breeding herd” using the example of Piotr Gręźlikowski’s farm from the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship.
All sessions were accompanied by a lively discussion, testifying to the interest in the topics presented at the Seminar. Questions were addressed both to the speakers delivering the papers and to the breeders presenting their farms.
During the Winter School, it was possible to taste products and specialties from the Złotnicka White pigs from the Złotnickie Specjały Nasiadek – Rolniczy Handel Detaliczny production plant and from the Animex Food Sp. z o.o. company.
The organization of the seminar was supported by the National Research Institute of Animal Production; the Poznań University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences; the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin; and the companies AdiFeed Sp. z o.o. and ADDICOO GROUP s.r.o.