INTERVIEW ▶▶▶
the number of liveborn pigs five days after birth. This key figure shows to what extent a sow is capable of getting her piglets go- ing and to what extent the piglets can survive with their moth- ers. The number of liveborn piglets at day 5 also has a very good predictive value for the total amount of weaned piglets per sow. In addition, it is also an honest number, as it largely excludes environmental factors, like e.g. hygiene and barn climate. After all, we will count the piglets at day 5 after parturition. We will continue to breed for litter size. That is for economic rea- sons. A sow is at the heart of the investment at multiplication farms, and the money comes from the sale of piglets. It is that simple. In e.g. the Netherlands or Denmark, production costs are higher than in Eastern Europe, Asia or Latin America. For our cus- tomers in North Western Europe, it is therefore crucial that they can work with sows that can deliver a top result, and that those customers also know how to fully benefit from their sows’ poten- tial. Pig farmers in the Netherlands and Denmark prove that they can achieve large productivity with our sows. That is what is needed. Otherwise they do not have any economic perspective in the global pig market.”
Reorganisation in Denmark The reorganisation in the Danish swine breeding business led to a partition. Until last year, the Danish genetics were uniquely sold under the name DanAvl. Now, however, there are three organisa- tions selling Danish pig genetics. One of them being DanBred, which is the continuation of the DanAvl programme. In addition, there are two new names – Danish Genetics as well as Danic. The two new companies – and their customers – did not agree with new conditions launched at DanBred. As a result, about 30% of the original breeding farms is no longer connected to DanBred (previously DanAvl), Mr Muurman Henriksen confirms.
To what extent has this partition influenced genetic progress? “I cannot deny that something like this created a temporary vacuum in pig breeding. Nevertheless, our breeding population is now back at pre-partition levels. We have also contracted a few new breeding companies and existing breeders have more sows. So, the breeding machine is in full swing again. We are now working with a total of 23 nucleus farms, all placed in Denmark. For nucleus breeding we have 2,200 sows in both Landrace and Yorkshire and 1,800 Duroc sows for the terminal sire side. All in all, around the globe including Denmark we have 76,000 pure- bred sows in nucleus and multiplication herds. There are 114 contracted multiplication herds around the globe, of which 60 are located in Denmark. Still, we are constantly looking for new multiplication farms. Otherwise our company cannot grow.”
What is your revenue expectation for 2018? “We’ll reach about 1 million sows because of additional breeding activities on sow farms. We also expect to sell about 750,000 breeding sows, both F1 animals as well as pure line sows.”
14 ▶ PIG PROGRESS | Volume 34, No. 6, 2018
What will happen with breeding data after the partition? “Data will stay with us. We are the continuation of the Danish pig breeding programme. In case breeders choose to go a different way, the consequence of that is that they will no longer have access to those data. It’s as simple as that.”
And what if a judge would rule differently? “This is my opinion. If the matter would have to be settled in court, then we’ll see what a judge will say. I think things are pretty straightforward – data will stay with us and will not go anywhere else.”
DanBred now owned by three players
DanBred is now owned by three different players in the Danish market. Of the shares, 24.5% is owned by agricultural cooperative Danish Agro. This cooperative also owns artificial insemination company Hatting-KS. Another 24.5% of the shares is owned by DanBred International, the combination of all Danish nucleus and multiplication farms. The majority is owned by SEGES (51%), which is the research division of Danish Agriculture & Food Council (Landbrug & Fødevarer). SEGES’ management is made up of pig producers – so this way they can decide about DanBred’s pig breeding programme.
PHOTO: DANBRED
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