Year after year, the results prove that DanBred pigs are superior

Generation after generation, DanBred has selected the best genes for further breeding with the aim to ensure the highest profits for pig producers. The report “Results for DanBred pigs 2024” shows how DanBred’s continuous breeding progress manifests in the production herds. 

“Our continued breeding progress underlines the fact that DanBred remains the right choice for professional pig producers, who focus on profitable pig production that is considerate of the green agenda with regards to resource efficiency and productivity,” says Torben Aarris, CEO of DanBred.

When converting the achieved genetic developments into economics, the total breeding progress over the past two years corresponds to EUR 1.65 per year per DanBred finisher pig. In the coming years, further improvements are expected across all traits. The forecasts predict a breeding progress of up to EUR 2.79 per year per DanBred finisher pig. 

Finisher traits continue to improve

With high daily gain, excellent feed efficiency, and great meat quality, the DanBred-pigs are known to produce world-class finisher pigs that contribute to better use of resources and ensure the lowest costs of production for you. This is because DanBred has had a strong focus on productivity traits for many years. In recent years, DanBred has switched the focus of the breeding goals to an increased focus on survival and robustness. Still, the DanBred pigs continue to improve for the important finisher pig traits.

DanBred finisher pig herds have experienced an increase in daily gain from 1,024 g to 1,037 g – that is 13 g more per day in 2023 compared to 2022. DanBred top 5 production herds have an impressive daily gain of 1,159 g per day, which is 105 g more than the Danish national average for productivity in 2023.

Moreover, the feed efficiency has improved from 2.53 kg feed per kg of gain to 2.52 kg feed per kg of gain from 2022 to 2023. And DanBred top 5 production herds use only 2.4 kg feed per kg gain.

Higher survival and productivity 

Sow herds with DanBred genetics had a record-breaking average of 35.3 weaned pigs per sow per year in 2023. This is the highest published average of any pig breeding company in the world.

From 2022 to 2023, an average of one extra pig per sow per year was weaned. This is primarily due to the increased piglet survival of 1 percentage point and 0.2 more liveborn piglets per litter. Historically, the number of weaned pigs per annual sow has never been higher. Weaned pigs per sow per year was 0.6 higher for production herds using DanBred genetics, compared to the Danish national average.

“The results from the production herds with DanBred genetics show an improved piglet survival of 1 percentage point from 2022 to 2023. And it doesn’t stop here. We expect that the effect of the breeding progress will manifest further in the production herds in the coming years,” says Christian Fink, director at the Danish Agriculture & Food Council Sector for Pigs. 

Breeding progress with a focus on survival

For the past two years, piglet survival has been the most important trait in the breeding nucleus, which has led to an annual breeding progress for piglet survival of 4.1 percentage points – this will continuously manifest in DanBred’s production herds. Going forward, you can expect even more healthy, robust sows and piglets, as DanBred has recently implemented ‘sow survival’ as a new trait in the breeding goals.

“In the coming years, we expect a significant breeding progress for sow survival and piglet survival, while the progress for the other important traits in the breeding goal continues,” explains Tage Ostersen, Head of Department in Breeding & Genetics, Danish Agriculture & Food Council.

Background for the publication

“Results for DanBred pigs 2024” is a comprehensive publication that shows results from production herds with DanBred genetics, the realised breeding progress over the past two years in the breeding nucleus, and a forecast of the expected breeding progress in the breeding nucleus, which is the term for the breeding and multiplication herds.

“The results for DanBred pigs 2024 are clear proof of the DanBred breeding system’s desire to be a transparent and data-driven breeding company. In this way, DanBred has raised the level of openness, and I am proud of that,” says Christian Fink Hansen.

The Breeding & Genetics department in the Danish Agriculture & Food Council is responsible for the DanBred breeding system and developing the DanBred breeding goals. The breeding goals are determined for each of the three DanBred breeds by the Sector Board at the Danish Agriculture & Food Council Sector for Pigs.