Published on March 31, 2026
How genomic selection transforms modern pig breeding
Today’s swine industry faces increasing demands for sustainability, animal welfare, and efficiency. At the same time, advances in DNA technologies and stronger data foundations make genomic selection more relevant than ever. For Danish Genetics, now part of Hendrix Genetics Swine, genomic selection remains a key tool for achieving faster, more secure, and more targeted genetic progress.
A natural enhancement of the Danish breeding tradition
Where traditional breeding relies on pedigrees and visible traits, genomic selection uses thousands of DNA markers to predict an animal’s genetic potential early in life. Danish Genetics has for many years applied genomic selection to all purebred breeding animals and will continue doing so as part of Hendrix Genetics Swine to ensure a consistently precise and data‑driven breeding approach.
This approach is a natural extension of the Danish breeding tradition, known for its structure, data discipline, and high precision. With DNA markers, breeders can make even more confident selection decisions and produce more uniform and predictable pigs, a strength of Danish breeding that continues and is further reinforced through the collaboration with Hendrix Genetics Swine.
Genomic selection in practice
In practice, the process begins with a small tissue sample from the pig’s ear, providing high‑quality DNA. These data are analyzed using an SNP chip capable of reading tens of thousands of genetic markers per animal.
The results are then combined with extensive production and phenotypic data from breeding herds. This enables breeders to calculate genomic indexes on a weekly basis, allowing promising breeding animals to be identified much earlier and with far greater accuracy than traditional methods. The continuous link between DNA information and real‑world performance makes genomic selection a highly effective tool in daily breeding operations.
Robustness, welfare, and sustainability
A clear and targeted breeding strategy combined with genomic selection improves key traits such as health, robustness, and feed efficiency, enabling the selection of animals that thrive under varying conditions. This approach strengthens both animal welfare and resource efficiency in production and contributes to a more sustainable development of global pig production.
At the same time, large volumes of DNA and phenotypic data form the foundation for precise genomic calculations, and when integrated into a global breeding system, this gives Danish Genetics and Hendrix Genetics Swine a strong position to continue developing robust, efficient, and sustainable pigs for the market of the future.
