Profile


Hugues (Hugo) Six is general manager East and South-East Asia for Hendrix Genetics. He has spent 25 years working in different parts of the world at senior management level for international nutrition, pre- mixes and phytogenics feed additives companies.


Nevertheless, we have to admit that there is no genetic solution for pigs. Nor is there a vaccine. The real solution is biosecurity.”


Then how does Hendrix Genetics prepare its customers for ASF outbreaks? “We encourage use of our ‘BioHypor’ systems that for the last 20 years have proven to be efficient against any disease, including ASF, everywhere in Asia. Essentially it is a mini-nucleus estab- lished inside a client’s production system. After an initial fill of GGP breeders, the client’s system is closed to live animal entry, re- ducing the contamination risks. New genes enter only via fresh GGP semen from a gene transfer centre. Clients have access to the company’s support platforms – a multidisciplinary team of local and global experts. We have had successful systems in place for many years in Vietnam, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan.” “In 2020, Hypor will be launching BioHypor 2.0, an enhanced ver- sion of the original system that offers more simplicity and de- mands less of customers. For existing clients it will be an upgrade of their system that will both make life easier and reduce the po- tential for human error. It should also appeal to new customers wanting to simplify their breeding programme and make rapid genetic progress while maintaining biosecurity.”


ASF outbreaks in South Korea


On September 16, South Korea saw the first of outbreaks of the African Swine Fever virus (ASFv) and the count at the time of going to press was 30. All of them occurred within 30 km of the border with North Korea – and over a distance of roughly 130 km. Twelve of these outbreaks occurred on farms ranging in size from 388 animals to 4,732 animals. Another two were found in backyard farms –


with two and 19 pigs on site, respectively. The last reported cases were in 16 wild boar that were found close to the border with North Ko- rea, inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), as well as further away. In total, roughly 27,000 pigs had to be culled to avoid a further spread of the disease. It is most likely that the contamination came from the totalitarian state North Korea, which is


completely cut off from the outside world. It is difficult to gauge the importance of swine pro- duction in the country, let alone the current sit- uation there with regard to African Swine Fever. North Korea has only ever reported one out- break of ASF to the World Organisation for Ani- mal Health (OIE). That was on 23 May of this year, close to the border with China and in- volved a herd of 99 pigs.


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What do the outbreaks in South Korea mean for the busi- ness of Hendrix Genetics? “We must remain humble in this situation – ASF has not affected any of our clients so far. We note that Asian pig producers are searching the breeding market to secure their supply for the com- ing years, because there will be a shortage. We expect that our customers will grow dramatically – and we will grow with them.”


What is going to be the long-term effect of ASF on pig production in Asia in general? “It is going to lead to a concentration of the largest players. Many backyard farms with 30 or 40 pigs, for example, will disappear and may well never make a comeback.” “Unless a vaccine solution is found, our industry will have to learn to live with ASF. The outbreaks are not expected to stop as ASF becomes a habitat disease occurring in the wild which can then appear in wild pig populations several months after eradication and be passed back to domestic pigs again.” Within a few years’ time, the industry in Asia will consist of large and highly biosecure ASF-free herds and given that pork prices will remain sky high for some time to come, those farms will be really profitable.”


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