The Super Nucleus has been established by identifying the top 5 per cent of GGP females within each breed based on the Hermitage PigBLUP Exchange breeding indices across Hermitage’s high health nucleus herds. These elite females are then inseminated with the top performing GGP AI boars as identified by the Hermitage Mate SelectTM programme. Finally over 3,000 embryos are recovered from these GGP females and transferred to SPF recipients at the new nucleus site. The first farrowing’s are scheduled for August.

Additional individual feed intake recording systems are being installed at the new nucleus, giving Hermitage the capacity to individually performance test over 6,000 pigs per year using the transponder testing stations. An additional 50,000 pigs will be weighed and scanned at Hermitage nucleus farms in Ireland annually.

The development of the new Super Nucleus will add further to the rapid genetic progress already being achieved at Hermitage and by working at the very top of the Hermitage breeding pyramid, this progress is expected to increase exponentially due to the shortened generation interval and the very top performing genetics available.

“The establishment of the Super Nucleus, combined with the significant increase in testing capacity for feed intake and feed conversion, will further enhance our genetic progress in the traits which are most important to our customers,“ commented Professor John Mabry, Hermitage Genetics Consultant Geneticist.