In the swine genetics space, the term “realized genetic value” is more than just a buzzword—it’s the gold standard of genetic improvement. At AcuFast, we’ve built our reputation on delivering this value, leveraging a unique triad of strengths: our comprehensive genetic portfolio, rigorous commercial measurement system, and cutting-edge technology platform.
This article serves as an introduction to these three pillars of excellence. In the coming months, we’ll delve deeper into each component, showcasing how they work in harmony to drive tangible results for our partners.
Genetic Portfolio: The Core of our Offering
At the core of AcuFast lies our genetic portfolio—a culmination of decades of thorough breeding and selection. Our journey began with carefully chosen germplasm and evolved through persistent refinement of our Landrace, Large White, Duroc, and Pietrain lines.
Our terminal sire lines are designed for optimal performance in commercial environments. Born from the Maschhoff Research & Development system, the AcuFast Duroc excels in survival, feed conversion, growth rate, and carcass quality. As we prepare for Series 2, we’ve invested in expanding our nucleus populations, enhancing our genomic tools, intake capture platform and dissemination pathways to ensure continued genetic progress.
Our maternal lines are known for their prolificacy, robustness, and positive influence on wean-to-finish traits. Originating from high-health status herds developed by Dr. Harold Fast, the AcuFast Vantage focuses on sustainable litter size, longevity, and full system value. Ongoing investments in whole-herd feed intake monitoring and dedicated crossbred maternal testing ensure this line continues to meet the evolving needs of modern pork production.
These flagship lines embody our commitment to genetic excellence, combining a rich history and a practically grounded perspective with cutting-edge advancements to meet the diverse needs of our partners.
Commercial Measurement System: Validating the Difference for Commercial Success
Genetic potential means little without real-world validation. Our commercial measurement system bridges the gap between theory and practice, subjecting our genetics to rigorous testing under realistic production conditions. This approach ensures that the genetic progress we achieve translates directly into improved performance and profitability for our customers.
How do we achieve this? Our approach is comprehensive, combining maternal sire testing through our Maternal Test Herd (MTH) with terminal sire testing for integrated value. This rigorous process is further enhanced by genomics and reproductive assessment tools. By evaluating our genetics across various commercial scenarios, we ensure that our selection decisions are based on real-world performance, not just theoretical potential.
The impact for our partners is multifaceted and far-reaching. Our system-based measurement approach goes beyond a ‘virtual’ nucleus assessment, focusing on traits that truly matter in commercial settings. This translates to improved longevity, enhanced sustainability, and effective risk management for our customers. By ensuring our nucleus decisions are aligned with commercial outcomes, we provide our partners with genetics that are not just superior on paper, but proven performers in the complex realities of modern pork production.
Technology Platform: Enabling Genetic Progress through Innovation
Innovation at AcuFast is the broad engine that drives continuous improvement across the genetic supply chain. Our technology platform, anchored by our state-of-the-art reproductive technology tools, pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in swine genetic improvement.
We view data as a foundational asset, leveraging it to enhance our technical support resources and decision support tools. This approach enables us to deliver tailored genetic solutions to specific segments of our populations, rather than broad, one-size-fits-all approaches. In this environment, accuracy is paramount, and our investments in understanding key biological differences form the bedrock of our comprehensive data utilization.
Our advanced reproductive technologies not only enhance traditional production outcomes but, more crucially, accelerate the delivery of genetic progress. From sex-sorted semen to cutting-edge genomic tools, each innovation plays a vital role in our integrated approach to genetic advancement.
By continuously developing and refining these tools, we’re not just accelerating genetic progress—we’re revolutionizing how superior genetics are delivered to our partners, ensuring they stay at the forefront of swine production efficiency and profitability.
The Synergy Effect: Where True Value Emerges
While each pillar is powerful in its own right, the true magic happens at their intersection. Data from our commercial testing informs our genetic selections. Our technology platform enhances the precision and speed of our breeding program. And our genetic advancements drive the need for more sophisticated testing and technology. This synergy creates a virtuous cycle of continuous improvement, ultimately delivering realized genetic value that surpasses the sum of its parts.
At AcuFast, we’re not just breeding better pigs—we’re breeding success for our partners. By harmonizing our genetic expertise, real-world testing, and technological innovation, we’re setting new standards for efficiency, sustainability, and profitability in production.
In the articles to follow, we’ll take a deeper dive into each pillar of our approach. You’ll discover how each component not only stands strong on its own but also reinforces the others, creating a robust framework for genetic advancement.
Join us on this journey as we explore the science, strategy, and synergy behind AcuFast’s commitment to realized genetic value. Together, we’re not just predicting the future of swine genetics—we’re creating it.
