In house IT breeding specialists fuel our genetic engine

Creating value for the entire animal protein chain is our goal. We achieve this in large part because of the efforts of our IT breeding specialists that develop custom software and maintain a global data stream. Our commitment to always being on the vanguard of new technological advancements, fuels our products to be innovative and sustainable. Let’s explore what makes our genetic engine run.

Our team over the years has cataloged over 25 million animals from across our portfolio of species in our central research centre. These samples are then extensively analyzed and studied using a range of methods, many of them proprietary. This work has led to new discoveries and breakthroughs linking specific parts of the DNA to specific traits. All of the information, from the samples, to the specific phenotypes (traits) represent the most important assets Hendrix Genetics has as a company. The data in our IT breeding system, is the result of millions of hours of work, from the worker who cares for our animals on day one, to the geneticist who is reading their DNA.

Hendrix Genetics has a history of being passionate about animals and traditional agricultural values. As technology evolves we have embraced new IT, while maintaining what made us great in the first place. This means that our decisions are smarter, more accurate and far more data-driven then was ever possible in the past, while still aligned with our values.

IT investments allow us to not only know things like the entire family history of one of our pedigree animals in an instant, but we also know from day one most of its genetic potential. We are now cloud-based, data connected and ready for the future. Genetic outcomes improve at a faster pace when we use big data.

IT investments allow us to innovate, a recent example of this occurred in the implementation of APY algorithms in swine, that run an analysis based on key ancestors. This method processes data 50% faster with a negligible impact on accuracy.

In order to continue to advance and innovate, Hendrix Genetics has made IT a core priority in our organization. We have multiple teams around the world that work on a wide range of projects. Hardware teams in North America are busy designing systems to automatically calculate feed efficiency in barns, while down the road, another site is testing smart cameras that can determine how well a turkey can walk, giving it a walking score. In the Netherlands, geneticists alongside programmers are busy developing artificial intelligence systems that can not just recognize patterns, but also predict traits. Globally a multimillion-dollar ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) project is linking all parts of our company together to better serve our customers, from research to delivery.

As new technologies arises, we are poised to take advantage of it with our dedicated IT team. Through new discoveries, algorithms, applications, hardware and software, Hendrix Genetics will remain at the forefront, evolving animal breeding into the future. This sustainable, collaborative and innovative approach ensures the most value is produced for the entire animal protein chain.