DanBred’s chain of genetic supply is put to the ultimate test in the African Swine Fewer (ASF) ridden Chinese market, where production output is forecasted to decline a further 25 % (10-15 million tonnes pork) in 2020. Despite a marked increase in extra EU exports of pork to China, this has so far only contributed to an increase of about 500,000 tonnes for Chinese consumption, and as it stands, EU has a quite limited surplus for exports from its own, slightly decreasing pork production.
Local supply will be crucial
Other Asian markets, such as the Philippines and Vietnam, are also expecting to see significant drops in production. But despite the fact that the global pig industry enjoys dramatically increasing prices, supply from the EU is still insufficient to meet the demands stemming from ASF affected countries in Asia. So as of now and for the years ahead, it would seem that Asian consumers will have to rely mostly on domestic producers’ ability to restore the local pork supply.
However, the restoration and/or creation of a biosecure pig production in Asia is associated with enormous investments and risks, which will extend beyond the local industry, as it must rethink most aspects of genetic sourcing, supply and transportation as well as entire production systems.
China taking charge
Large Chinese integrators are first movers in taking on this vast responsibility, and they are well positioned to capitalize on the unmet demand and soaring prices. Supported by an active government, the ambitious development plans of large integrators will challenge leading genetic companies to assist in building new and highly biosecure supply chains of high quality as well as being able to deliver under very diverse, rapidly changing and difficult conditions.
Setting up new and biosecure pipelines of supply in China will require linking up with a breeding company renowned for its sophisticated weekly index ranking of its nucleus and multiplication herds and for safely delivering to the highest health status available.
DanBred can help
“This is where DanBred’s unique 100-year heritage as the genetic powerhouse behind the Danish pork industry comes into play. DanBred is well-integrated both vertically and horizontally with all key players that define the Danish pig production, and we are consistently setting new records in terms of genetic and economic progress, animal welfare and environmental sustainability, in what is perhaps the safest and most sustainable agro food cluster in the world – now set for climate neutrality in 2050,” says Jens Fabricius, CTSO & Director of Supply Chain and Solution Sales at DanBred.
DanBred’s nucleus and multiplier herds, which amount to more than 145 sites with the highest possible safety level (red SPF), hold approximately 75,000 breeding sows, and with about 7,000 boars in service in Danish AI stations, DanBred delivers direct genetic supply from its core system to a large volume of customers around the world.
– This is where DanBred’s unique 100-year heritage as the genetic powerhouse behind the Danish pork industry comes into play. DanBred is well-integrated both vertically and horizontally with all key players that define the Danish pig production.
Jens Fabricius
World-renowned SPF health system
This entire breeding and multiplication nucleus in Denmark is free of contagious diseases including Classical and African Swine Fever, Foot and Mouth Disease, SVD, Aujeszky’s Disease and Tecschen’s Disease as well as Brucellosis, Tuberculosis and Trichinosisare. Furthermore, DanBred’s close affiliation with the Danish Pig Research Centre managed SPF-SuS programme secures DanBred’s position as a global source of genetics of the highest health and safety levels.
“All in all, our breeding system is rooted in and operates according to world-class health systems,” affirms Jens Fabricius. “Every step of the way, including transportation in DanBred’s air filtered trucks, which are approved by SPF-SuS, DanBred’s policies and procedures comply with the Danish transport standards and the SPF-SuS system, thereby setting the highest bar possible for health and biosecurity standards,” he continues.
Bo Kibsdal from Kibsdal Svineavl, a DanBred nucleus herd in Denmark
DanBred air-filtered truck approved by SPF-SuS
Growing capacity globally
In addition to these standards, the DanBred breeding system also features the DanBred Index. The DanBred breeding index is universal for all animals whether they origin from a French, Thai or Danish herd, and the chain of supply is 100 % dedicated to supplying only the best-in-breed animals at all times.
“We are also constantly looking for new multiplication partners, also outside of Denmark, where industry growth in Europe requires a capacity increase to supply gilts. DanBred is also well equipped for large multiplication projects in Russia, China and Brazil where DanBred F1 hybrid capacity is set to grow by >10,000 in 2020,” explains Jens Fabricius.
“In parallel to the increasing demand, in-house breeding is a growing trend, and DanBred’s GenePro programme caters to this need,” he continues. “GenePro draws on more than 350,000 in-house bred sows from leading Danish pig producers, which make up half of DanBred’s total genetic supply in Denmark. This is a testament to our capacity and capability to continuously expand our global GenePro network of in-house breeding and multiplication partners in key areas such as China”.
What will it take?
Taking all these standards, experiences and features abroad, DanBred must, however, be able to adapt to very different local conditions and legislation.
“We must be able to operate with end-to-end transparency and with a firm, yet flexible direction of genetic resources for the development of new and biosecure pipelines of supply,” begins Jens Fabricius. “Furthermore, it takes a hands-on approach, organizational competency and decision-making ability to engage in fast and risky development projects. DanBred routinely commits to execute plans with top management approval from initial project design through to implementation of integrated production”.
As one of very few genetic suppliers allowed to export live animals to China, DanBred demonstrated these abilities in full in close collaboration with a top 5 Chinese integrator in the fall of 2019. In this case, DanBred supplied three consecutive air shipments of a total of 1,000 gilts for a new 6,000 sow farm and full line slaughter pig production system in the Hubei province, South-West of Shanghai – a province that was hit by major ASF outbreaks between 2018 and 2019.
DanBred takes part in strategic projects like this together with best-in-class providers of farm design, equipment, climate controls etc. In these projects, as well as in the Chinese case mentioned above, DanBred commits services and expertise to deliver results according to the agreed production plans.
– DanBred routinely commits to execute plans with top management approval from initial project design through to implementation of integrated production.
Jens Fabricius
Delivery of animals to DB Brazil in the fall of 2019
Shipment of animals to C.P. in China in the fall of 2019
Strong links form a complete supply chain
As illustrated, DanBred’s supply chain delivers much more than simply transporting pigs around the world. It is a complete supply chain of high-performance products, knowhow and services sourced directly from the core of the Danish nucleus and multiplier herds as well as our exclusive R&D partner, the Danish Pig Research Centre, and its science network that constantly develops and improves the data collection, index calculation, storage, management and software. This has enabled DanBred’s increasing international expansion of a dedicated network of high-performing DanBred multiplier herds as well as the fast expansion of our global GenePro in-house breeding network.
“We take pride in our ability to mobilize a flexible, yet reliable chain of supply characterized by end-to-end trust and commitment. From our base of breeders and multipliers in Denmark, genetic resources, logistical skills and open communication are just some of the traits that enable DanBred to contribute to the pig production industry’s economic progress, animal health and sustainable food production all over the world,” concludes Jens Fabricius.
– From our base of breeders and multipliers in Denmark, genetic resources, logistical skills and open communication are just some of the traits that enable DanBred to contribute to the pig production industry’s economic progress, animal health and sustainable food production all over the world.
Jens Fabricius
Stéphanie Calloc’h, co-owner of Earl du Ruot farm in France with 500 sows and fattening unit
Photo credit: A. Puybasset – Résussir Porc
