Danish Genetics Breeding Philosophy
Our philsophy – balanced breeding
Our focus is more output for less input and more meat per year sow. This focus is essential to secure increased efficiency and sustainability in future pig production. Due to the biological complexity of the breeding goals, we balance our breeding program in six categories:
Categories in our breeding program
- Efficiency
- Growth
- Reproduction
- Robustness
- Mothering ability
- Carcass quality
These focus points are chosen because the combination of them results in a more sustainable breeding with profit for our consumers, less environmental pollution and increased animal welfare.
Top health status
Focus on health
Healthy animals are essential for optimum breeding. Therefore, the health status and hygiene at all our professional business partners are extremely important. We take our responsibility very seriously and only sell healthy breeding animals in Denmark and the rest of the world.
All herds under Danish Genetics are approved SPF herds with a high health status, and all boars are PRRS-negative.
All boars at our artificial insemination (AI) stations come from PRRS-negative breeding herds and are subjected to blood tests before being taken to an AI station. In this way we ensure that our customers only receive semen from healthy and PRRS-negative boars.
Comprehensive infection control including weekly PCR testing
Through a comprehensive infection control we, at Danish Genetics increase the certainty for all customers of our semen. We do not compromise with health and to secure this we, as the first ever Danish breeding company weekly perform PCR test on our AI-boars. PCR tests are subsequent combined with the standard blood samples to guarantee a higher level of infection control.
Health status is managed by experts
The Danish SPF system was established in 1971 and is one of the world’s best health systems. There are fixed rules for protection against infection, health inspections and transport of pigs to herds. Our high health status is therefore backed up by experts, and our customers are guaranteed healthy breeding animals and semen from healthy boars.
SPF-Danmark and the Health Status Management (SPF-SUS) are jointly responsible for controlling the health status of all Danish herds. The herds are checked at least once a month by a veterinarian, and declarations of health status are available for all Danish herds.
DGENES
Dynamic database
DGENES is a dynamic system equipped with state-of-art genetic technologies, which analyzes data through genetic processes to deliver accurate breeding values. Danish Genetics’ unique bio-economic model weights the breeding goals and their economic value to secure the higheste profit for pig producers world-wide.
DG Index
Index is the key to selection of the best breeding candidates for next generations. Danish Genetics has in collaboration with AbacusBio, developed a unique bio-economic simulation model which incorporates genetic principals, economic analyses, and market tendencies to secure the right weight between the breeding goals which are included in the breeding program for Yorkshire and Landrace on the maternal side and for Duroc on the terminal side.
Genetic work
Development projects
At Danish Genetics, we continuously work with various development projects that will contribute to the optimization of our breeding program.
Focus on piglet survival
Registration of birth weight to increase piglet survival. The breeding program at Danish Genetics has a special focus on piglet survival as well as robust and efficient pigs.
Feeding stations with individual registrations
If Danish pig production is to keep pace with increased food demand in the future and at the same time include more sustainable systems, we must look at how we use our resources.
More output for less input
Feed is the biggest expense in the production of a pig, and feed efficiency is therefore important when it comes to pig breeding and genetics. Instead of looking at feed consumption in general, it pays to look at feed utilization.
Saved feed is defined as the the proportion of feed intake that is not used for production of daily body weight gain and maintenance. In this process we monitor how a single ani
DMRI-tests
Greater insight into meat quality parameters
In 2019 we completed a project to add insight to carcass quality together with Danish Technological Institute. Through this project we made CT scans on a number of pig cadavers which provided us with greater knowledge on the animal bone structure, body posture and meat quality. Now we were able to determine how genetic affected animal bone structure, body posture and meat quality and how to breed more accurately for new traits within these categories.
The usage of innovative technologies and scientific sources contributes to development in our breeding program.
Danish Genetics – Your preferred genetics partner
Our goal is to optimize your business by developing and delivering world-class genetics. The opportunities lie in the genes, and with a commercial starting point and a humble and close dialogue with our customers, we want to be the customers’ preferred choice of genetic partner.
Danish Genetics’ breeding system is built on more than 100 years’ experience with professional pig breeding combined with world-class genetics. The core focus of Danish Genetics is genetic improvement to increase customer profit. This is achieved by our breeding objectives which focus on breeding for robustness, reproduction, mothering ability, efficiency, growth, and carcass quality. Through this focus we aspire to develop superior genetics of highest value for each actor along the pork value chain.
Contact
Visiting Adresses:
Kokkenborg I: Pavegyden 1a - DK-5771 Stenstrup
Kokkenborg II: Assensvej 9, Kirkeby - DK-5771 Stenstrup
Postal address:
Assensvej 9, Kirkeby - DK-5771 Stenstrup