Funded by the
Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space
Clinical Validation: Osteoporosis Diagnostics – Determination of Surrogate Bone Mineral Density and Cortical Bone Microstructure Using Ultrasound (POROUS-BMD2).
Project number: 13GW0807A and 13GW0807B
Focus on Stronger Pig Bones
The Swiss breeding company Suisag, FBN Dummerstorf, and POROUS have launched the “PigBoneS” project to breed pigs with improved phosphorus utilization and stronger bones.
POROUS uses a non-invasive 3D ultrasound method to measure bone density and stability in slaughtered animals, primarily Swiss Large White pigs. The forefoot (metacarpus) serves as an indicator of bone health, complemented by blood analyses for phosphorus utilization markers. The aim is to identify genetic markers for these traits.
The project promotes bone health while reducing phosphorus excretion. It is supported by the Eureka Eurostars program, Innosuisse, and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).