In the new facilities also TOPIGS will test different sow and boar lines of TOPIGS. Through this cooperation not only the capacity for nutritional research has expanded but also the interaction between nutrition and genetics will be a structural aspect of the research programme.

The opening of the new pig facility marks the last stage of a nine million euro investment programme by Schothorst Feed Research.

The sows and pigs facilities of Schothorst will house 350 sows and 3000 growing/finishing pigs and enables both TOPIGS and SFR to perform experiments on a practical scale. Furthermore, 40 Insentec feeder stations are installed that enable measuring individual performance and feed intake of 480 animals.

A separate metabolic unit is established for fundamental, challenge, balance and digestibility experiments. This type of studies is the basis for the SFR feedstuff tables and nutrient recommendations.

“We are ready for the future“, states Dr Piet van der Aar, research director of SFR. The facilities comply with the EFSA guidelines for animal experiments which will be effective in 2017. “We are excited about the possibilities that the co-operation with TOPIGS offer. Our international activities require that we have more expertise about nutritional requirements of different genetic lines and conditions. We will be better able to advise our customers world wide based on our own research“.

The data collection is digitally as much as possible in order to minimize human errors. Data of individual animals with different genetic background will be used by TOPIGS for analyses of their selection and evaluation programs. The primarily purpose of TOPIGS is to evaluate various highly productive genetic lines under practical conditions.

Schothorst Feed Research is an independent private research organisation which advises feed manufacturers world wide. Feed producers in 16 countries, representing approximately seven per cent of the global feed production, are using the SFR feedstuff table, nutrient recommendations and expertise in formulating their feeds and feeding programmes.

With a production of over 1.1 million crossbred gilts and seven million doses of semen per year TOPIGS is one of the biggest genetics suppliers in the world. In several countries, TOPIGS is either the market leader or one of the major suppliers. Research, innovation and genetic improvement are the cornerstones of our company. By continuously improving our products, we enable our clients to achieve maximum results.