DanBred delivers genetics worldwide with the purpose of ‘producing more pork for less cost’. It focuses on targeted breeding, which it says forms the foundation for achieving higher productivity and robust pigs, resulting in improved profits for pig producers.
Proven performance
The Danish company’s production sow, the DanBred Hybrid, provides robust litters with lifelong ‘proven performance’, with a new focus on breeding for litter weight gain.
Created by crossing DanBred’s two female lines, the DanBred Landrace and DanBred Yorkshire, the ‘calm’ sow is known for its excellent mothering abilities, caring for more piglets and ensuring a large number of strong piglets at weaning. It also provides pigs with great feed-to-meat conversion, the company said.
In 2024, the Hybrid averaged 37.3 weaned piglets per sow per year. Over a two-year period, piglet survival has increased by 1.6 percentage points, and the number of liveborn piglets by 0.6, resulting in two additional piglets being weaned per sow per year.
The company said its continuous desire to improve its genetics is reflected in the Hybrid’s focus on breeding for litter weight gain. The trait enhances the sow’s ability to produce more milk and wean heavier and healthier piglets – an improvement that is expected to contribute to an annual litter weight gain of 3kg.
DanBred describes its terminal line, the DanBred Duroc, as ‘undoubtedly the best-performing sire on the market’, which, like the Hybrid, ‘has a big catalogue of proven results’.
Together, the Hybrid and Duroc produce slaughter pigs with a daily liveweight gain of 1,162g, 59.8% meat percentage and a feed conversion ratio of 2.23.
Danish pig production
DanBred highlights the latest results from the InterPIG 2024 global comparison of pig production, which showed Denmark has the most cost-efficient production in Europe, with a cost of €1.68/kg.
Once again, Denmark achieved the highest number of weaned pigs per litter by a wide margin, averaging of 15.9 pigs/litter, an increase of 0.3 pigs compared to 2023. The Netherlands ranks second place with 14 weaned pigs per litter.
Denmark also stood out with a low preweaning mortality and a high number of liveborn piglets. The top 33% of Danish herds achieved more liveborn piglets per litter while maintaining a lower piglet mortality.
DanBred pointed out that producing a high number of weaned pigs per litter is especially valuable in countries with high labour costs, such as Denmark.
“As DanBred holds the majority of the market share in Denmark, the results can largely be explained by the 1.6 percentage point improvement in piglet survival in herds using DanBred genetics over the past two years. This improvement is a direct result of the new breeding goal trait for piglet survival implemented in 2022,” the company said.
Denmark also came out top in the 2024 InterPig comparison on growth rates, with an average daily gain of 1,037g, alongside a low feed conversion rate of 2.61.
“For many years, DanBred’s targeted breeding has delivered more productive and profitable finishers. Over the past two years, our finishers have improved feed efficiency by 0.07kg feed/kg gain, while daily growth has grown by 25g,” it added.
Proven results
The company said it stands out as ‘a global leader in efficient pig production, from piglet to finisher’.
“For more than 120 years, DanBred has improved pig genetics, and this commitment remains strong and unparallelled,” it said. “DanBred genetics will boost your profitability and productivity, and make sure you stay ahead in a competitive market. Choosing DanBred means proven results backed by data.”