Leading swine genetics company Danbred North America now runs under the new name DNA Genetics and a new focus, while remaining under the same independent US ownership.
“DNA Genetics will use our Danish genetics as its foundation, but we are now independent of Denmark’s genetic program,” says Brett Bonwell, CEO of DNA Genetics. “Operating independently of Denmark gives us the ability to focus on the traits and economic value that are most important to the profitability of our North American customers. The result will be providing customers with the best genetic value for greater gains and improved performance.”
The separation from the Danish genetic system is an amicable one. “It came down to the fact that our business approach and how we deliver economic value for our customers no longer matched theirs,” he states.
The company is ready to operate independently. “We have always been set up to run separately in the case of a trade barrier or disease outbreak, so while the circumstances are different, we are ready to provide a seamless transition for our customers,” he says.
The biggest change? Trait selection will now be based solely on a North American economic model instead of a European model of production. The company is investing US$5 million to move the current genetics to a new level for the North American market. This includes investments in database development, people, and the new, state-of-the-art InSight Performance Center. InSight, set to be fully operational by 2014, will be equipped to measure feed intake, with more than 2,000 boars on-test at any given time, surpassing the capability of the Danish system.