The basis for our breeding program - DGENES
The Danish Genetics breeding program builds on a foundation of the latest technologies, innovation and genetic expertise that are present in Danish Genetics Evaluation System (DGENES) which has been developed in collaboration with the science- and technology company AbacusBio and Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics of Aarhus University.
The breeding program is designed to consider traits of interest that provide economical profitability for actors throughout the entire pork production value chain. The breeding goal trait emphases are obtained from Danish Genetics’ bio-economic model that considers the market trends, resulting in an economical breeding index.
The optimized breeding program will result in strong, efficient, robust, and long-lifespan sows for sow producers, delivering more weaned piglets by a higher piglet survival and heavier piglets at weaning that require fewer days to growing period. Thereby sows that produce more meat per sow space for less production cost. The trait improvement package also aims to maximize profit for slaughter pig producers through efficiency, growth, and carcass quality yielding more lean meat per carcass in a shorter period, for less feed.
Breeding goal Landrace and Yorkshire
Danish Genetics’ breeding program for the maternal lines, Danish Yorkshire, and Danish Landrace, is designed with sow producers in mind to produce the most optimal F1 sow. The objective is to produce super sows with characteristics of producing more meat per year sow, give birth to easy handling strong and robust piglets. Therefore, the maternal lines have specific focus on reproduction (boar fertility and viable piglets), robustness (longevity and strength), and mothering ability (piglet survival and early growth). In addition, the maternal lines provide half of the genetics for the commercial hybrid finisher pig and hence, growth, efficiency and carcass quality are highly emphasized as part of the breeding program for maternal line.
MATERNAL LINE
BREEDING GOALS, LANDRACE/YORKSHIRE
Saved feed: Amount of feed not used for growth and carcass quality, g/day
Daily gain, 30 kg to slaughter: Average daily body weight gain from growing to finishing, g/day
Daily gain, birth to 30 kg: Average daily body weight gain from birth to growing, g/day
Piglet survival: The sow effect on percentage of viable piglets 21 days after farrowing, %/litter
Early growth, maternal: The sow effect on average daily body weight gain from birth to growing, g/day
Backfat: Backfat thickness for a specific body weight, mm
Viable piglets at day 1: The sow effect on number of viable piglets at day 1 of farrowing, no. piglets/litter
Boar fertility: The boar effect on number of viable piglets at day 1 of farrowing, no. piglets/litter
Longevity: Probability of sows getting inseminated after first parity, after second parity, and after third parity, %
Strength: Body structure on legs and posture, scale from 0 to 2
Breeding goal Duroc
The breeding objective for the terminal line of Danish Duroc is to maximize the profitability for slaughter pig producers, slaughterhouses, meat processing companies and retailing. This is achieved by putting emphasis on trait categories such as efficiency, growth, boar fertility, survivability, and carcass quality.
TERMINAL LINE
BREEDING GOALS, DUROC
Saved feed: Amount of feed not used for growth and carcass quality, g/day
Daily gain, 30 kg to slaughter: Average daily body weight gain from growing to finishing, g/day
Daily gain, birth to 30 kg: Average daily body weight gain from birth to growing, g/day
Backfat: Backfat thickness for a specific body weight, mm
Boar fertility: : The boar effect on number of viable piglets at day 1 of farrowing, no. piglets/litter
Survivability: The boar effect on percentage of viable piglets 21 days after farrowing, %/litter
Strength: Body structure on legs and posture, scale from 0 to 2
