What has the last 10 years of breeding progress meant for your production costs?

Breeding companies continuously measure the average progress in the purebred populations. But can you be sure that the breeding progress measured is also reflected on the results in your herd?

You can, when you choose DanBred genetics.

With DanBred animals in your herd, you have been able to reduce your production costs by EUR 15.5/pig [1] over the past 10 years.

If we take the current feed prices in early 2023 [2] into account, the savings are as high as EUR 19.1/pig. 

DanBred’s breeding progress is reflected in your production

It is clear that DanBred’s balanced breeding work is reflected in the production herds.

Over the past 10 years, the number of weaned pigs has increased by 5.12 pigs per sow per year. Converted into actual money, this means EUR 4.7 more per pig. In addition, the increase in daily growth and feed efficiency in sows has contributed to the fact that you need less feed per weaned pig, which gives an added value of EUR 2 per pig.

DanBred sows can actually take care of more piglets than they are given credit for. Therefore, production herds in Denmark have generally handled the growing litters without building more farrowing pens per sow over the past 10 years.

In Figure 1, you can see how the last 10 years of breeding progress for the different traits in DanBred’s breeding goals contribute to increase your bottom line. Overall, this amounts to a higher profit per pig of EUR 15.5 compared to 10 years ago, i.e., an average cost reduction of EUR 1.5/pig/year.

Figure 1: The cost reductions of relevant traits*

*According to calculations by Michael Groes Christiansen, Special Consultant at SEGES Innovation.

DanBred’s balanced breeding programme has a strong focus on finisher pig traits. Among other things, this has resulted in significant improvements on feed efficiency, daily gain, and meat percentage. These improvements have contributed to an added value of EUR 6.6/pig for feed efficiency and daily gain, and EUR 2.2/pig for meat percentage, compared to 10 years ago.

Where in the pig’s life Can You save the most money?

Many believe that the most significant increases have been on weaned pigs per sow per year, but of the total cost reductions of EUR 15.5/pig, only 34 % is up to and including weaning (at a standardised weaning weight of 7 kg).

In particular, the breeding progress of finisher pig traits has had a very positive effect on your bottom line (with 57 % of the cost savings). But considering that there is only 23 kg of growth on piglets and 85 kg on finisher pigs, it is also quite good that 9 % of the cost savings are from piglet production.

DanBred’s ongoing breeding progress contributes to significantly higher earnings in your production – through lower production costs. The progress has, among other things, contributed to making it possible for you to wean more than 5 extra pigs per sow per year than 10 years ago without extra feed costs. In addition, the improvements in finisher pig traits, such as daily gain, feed efficiency, and meat percentage have led to a great savings of EUR 8.9/pig in the production of finisher pigs. With DanBred animals in your herd, you have – over the past 10 years – been able to reduce your production costs by EUR 15.5 per pig.

[1] Calculated with sow and finisher pig feed levels of EUR 0.23/Feed Unit and a weighted piglet feed price of EUR 0.32/Feed Unit.

[2] Calculated with sow and finisher pig feed levels of EUR 0.36/Feed Unit and a weighted piglet feed price of EUR 0.44/Feed Unit.