Hendrix Genetics and subsidiary Hypor have signed a collaborative agreement with The Family Pig to place the first family of Hypor pigs in the pilot farm located in The Netherlands. The project’s mission is to develop a mainstream system that combines high welfare standards with profitable production, leading to happier, healthier animals, while also being socially acceptable for consumers.
A group of farmers, researchers, architects, and animal behavior specialists have collaborated to create a farm environment where pigs can express natural behavior in a family unit, such as rooting in sand and rolling in mud, integrated with multiple innovations. Cooperative partners involved in this project include Wageningen University & Research, Coppens Diervoeding, Agrifood Capital, Cangurus Architecten, Dura Vermeer, Noldus Information Technology and Inno+.
Wageningen University & Research investigated and summarized natural pig behavior, and their findings were used in the design of the test stall. The stall is designed with specific ‘pig toilets’ that have a direct manure drain. This eliminates emissions and reduces the smell of the barn. There are nest rooms where sows can feed and care for their piglets on their own with minimal human interference. Data-driven farming is another key part of the project. Hypor Libra* sows were the first to be placed in the pilot farm.
Frank Wind and Tjacko Sijpens, the initiators behind The Family Pig, state: "In the future, we want to make sustainable pork available to all consumers and be able to predict as accurately as possible what a pig needs to grow healthy and efficiently. We work with high-tech companies to analyse the behaviour of the pigs in the barn. This data is then used to increase the wellbeing, health and efficiency of the growth of each individual Family Pig.”
About Hendrix Genetics
Hendrix Genetics, an NPM Capital portfolio company, is a global leader in animal genetics. It has a multi-species focus, with core activities in the breeding of layers, turkeys, guinea fowl and pigs, and farming salmon, trout and shrimps. The company has over 3,000 employees that deliver young animals and eggs to producers in more than 100 countries. It has a continuous focus on R&D aiming to achieve improvements in genetic characteristics and animal welfare. By supporting innovative projects, Hendrix Genetics wants to make a real impact in enhancing welfare standards and the sustainability of the industry. Subsidiary Hypor is one of the world's leading suppliers of pig genetics.
Also read ‘Hendrix Genetics joins European project to improve the health and welfare of laying hens’
