New Hypor Libra sow reduces feed costs from farrow to finish

The Hypor Libra* (pronounced Libra star) is the world’s most ‘prolificient’ sow: the sum of prolific and efficient. The sow balances traits in feed conversion and mothering ability to lower the feed cost per pig.

“Producing more pork with less feed requires a highly balanced animal,” says Hypor director of research and development Abe Huisman. “The Hypor Libra* balances traits in reproduction, mothering ability and feed conversion to achieve Total System Profitability.”

High Milk Capacity Reduces Time to Weaning

Recent studies by Ghent University show that Hypor sows have the capability to produce large litters and achieve a higher weaning capacity due to the amount of colostrum that they produce. Piglets that get a strong start have a higher survival rate and perform better throughout their life.

The Hypor Libra* is capable of producing more than 30 full value pigs a year. Her piglets reach appropriate weaning weights in three weeks with minimal cross-fostering or relying on milk replacer, Huisman says. This reduces the amount of feed spent on having extra foster sows in the farrowing barn because the sow raises her own litter.

Because Hypor piglets reach an appropriate weaning weight already at 21 days instead of 28 days and because the Hypor Libra* needs a minimum of foster sows we save up to 7 days in the farrowing crate. This reduces the amount of feed during farrowing by 84 kilograms (185 pounds) per sow:

7 days X 5 kg (lactation feed) = 35 kg/feed
35 kg/feed X 2.5 litters/year = 84 kg/feed (185 pounds) savings

The Hypor Libra*’s ability to wean her own litters reduces the amount of sow feed by approximately 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) per piglet born.

Uniform Litters Increase the Number of Full Value Pigs

Hypor believes that the key to lowering feed costs is to improve efficiency throughout the entire production chain—from the sow to the piglet to the finisher.

The Hypor Libra* produces uniform litters that increase the number of full value pigs that are sold to the meat packer.

To develop a sow that produces uniform litters, Hypor collects the birth weight and 14-day weight of individual piglets. Unlike taking the average litter weight, individual weights take into account the variation within a litter and how that will affect the number of full value pigs.

“A uniform litter translates into a high survival rate and more finishers sent to market,” says Hypor Europe General Manager Nicolas Alvarez Hoggan. “At the end of the day, the sow that produces uniform litters is going to be the sow that produces a higher revenue with the least amount of feed.”

Improving Daily Gain and Feed Conversion

The Hypor Libra* is bred to produce large litters of quality pigs that are also feed efficient. Feed accounts for 60 to 70 percent of the total cost of production from farrow to finish. The Hypor Libra* is designed to balance reproduction and mothering traits with production traits to decrease the cost of production throughout the entire production chain.

Hypor collects data from more than 300 electronic feed stations worldwide to measure physical characteristics such as, feed intake, growth and calculate the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and residual feed intake (RFI) of individual pigs. RFI is a more advanced way of improving efficiency by comparing what the pig requires to the actual amount of feed consumed. All of this information is used to improve Hypor Libra*’s feed conversion ratio (FCR).

Balancing Income and Expenses to Increase Profit
The Hypor Libra* combines nearly a decade of genetic improvement, state-of-the-art technology and the best genetics from the top Hypor Landrace and Hypor Large White populations globally to help pork producers sell more pork with less feed.

Hypor believes in balanced breeding and that the best animal for the industry is the animal that benefits the entire pork production chain. From milk capacity, to litter uniformity to feed conversion, the Hypor Libra* is bred to produce the most pork per sow at the lowest feed cost to help pork producers to reach for the stars.

Hypor is one of the world's leading suppliers of pig genetics. Committed to providing superior genetics that supports profitability in the pork value chain. With its Head Office located in Boxmeer, The Netherlands, Hypor has strategically-located and interconnected breeding centers in North America, Europe and Asia. More information is available at www.hypor.com

Hypor is part of Hendrix Genetics, a leading multi-species breeding company with primary activities in layer-, turkey-, swine-, aquaculture -and traditional poultry breeding. Headquartered in Boxmeer, in The Netherlands, Hendrix Genetics provides expertise and resources to producers in more than 100 countries, with operations and joint ventures in 24 countries and more than 2.400 employees worldwide. More information is available at www.hendrix-genetics.com