Axiom and Gènes Diffusion launch new terminal sire at SPACE
French breeding organisation Axiom and AI company Gènes Diffusion have launched a new terminal sire at the annual animal husbandry show SPACE this week. The new sire’s name is XXV. The terminal sire is offered by Emeraude – the name of the new joint venture between the 2 companies.
The boar is a cross-bred between the Valens line and Duroc, both owned by Axiom. With the Valens terminal sire, Axiom claims to achieve no stillborn piglets, no piglets with abnormalities such as fractures, and less than 6% piglet mortality in the farrowing pen.
The XXV terminal sire transmits a minimum average daily gain (ADG) of 1,170 g, a feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 2.12, a minimum of 72 mm of muscle carcass thickness, and a maximum of 7 mm of backfat.
Productive, efficiently growing pigs
With this terminal sire, Emeraude aims to meet the needs of a segment of French pig farmers. This group is in need of productive, efficiently growing pigs with minimal labour input, as labour is scarce.
Despite its low backfat, the offspring of this boar are very robust, says Laurent Roger, technical and product manager at Axiom. A feeding guide is available for farmers who will be producing pigs with this boar, he explained. This is important as the pigs have specific amino acid and energy needs. Phosphorus is particularly important, Roger added.
Emeraude currently has 40 XXV boars in production. That number is expected to double by April 2026. For the time being, semen from this boar is only available to French pig farms. The initiators first wish to mature their product on the domestic market and then export their terminal sire.
An animal is only awarded the XXV designation if it meets all growth and carcass criteria.
