Pig breeding companies change name to Choice Genetics, add new genetic selection technology

Pig genetics companies, Newsham Choice Genetics and Pen Ar Lan, part of  the second largest multi-species genetic company in the world, Groupe Grimaud have announced they are changing their name to Choice Genetics.

Pig genetics companies, Newsham Choice Genetics and Pen Ar Lan, part of  the second largest multi-species genetic company in the world, Groupe Grimaud have announced they are changing their name to Choice Genetics. 

Choice Genetics announced it has added Computed Tomography (CT) scanning to its genetic selection technology. The scanning program, launched during the winter of 2012, is targeted for testing 10,000 paternal line pigs annually and will grow up to 20,000 including both paternal and maternal lines. Research indicates that CT results have a 99 percent correlation with finished pig carcass data, and a high correlation to feed conversion.

"Adding this new technology will allow us to make faster genetic progress in carcass value and feed conversion," says Dr. Derek Petry, Ph.D., vice president of R&D at Choice Genetics. 

The platform includes focus on feed efficiency, both individually and in family group for competitive effects, selection for disease tolerance, selection for sow lifetime productivity, and whole genome selection.  The addition to its genetic evaluation platform of CT technology, scanning males and females at heavy North American market weights, will allow advancement in commercial pig total values.

Newsham, joined Groupe Grimaud in 2008, and Pen Ar Lan joined in 2011, and have subsidiaries in the United States, Canada, Brazil, France, Germany, Poland and Vietnam.

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