Sonja Allen, PhD Candidate, University of Alberta, During my recent trip to Hendrix Genetics Headquarters in the Netherlands, I had the opportunity to engage with researchers and gain insights directly relevant to my doctoral work, “Improving Sow Lifetime Productivity (SLP) and Pig Quality through Phenotypic and Genomic Analysis.” This The visit was both intellectually stimulating and practically valuable, offering perspectives that I will apply to my research.
I was fortunate to have one-on-one interactions with team leaders such as Ton Mallens, Database Manager at Hendrix Genetics. A key lesson from our meeting was the importance of rigorous data validation and regular checks of farm tools and equipment, such as scales, feeders, and software systems, to ensure accuracy in phenotypic and genotypic records. Beyond that, I gained valuable insights into Hypor breeding goals and the relevance of trait selection in ensuring animal welfare, productivity, and health through discussions with Abe Huisman, Director of Product Excellence, and Manuel Revilla, Animal Geneticist.
During my visit, I focused on analyzing growth curves in females and connecting these growth parameters, such as the inflection point, to parity-one reproductive performance. I had the opportunity to work closely with Marco Bink, the Team Lead for Genetics & Genomics. Our regular meetings focused on optimizing data pipelines, managing large phenotype datasets, and ensuring reproducibility of results. In addition to generating growth curves and applying mixed models in R for phenotypic analysis, we also focused on genomic data analysis by troubleshooting file formatting challenges using tools such as GCTA, BLUPF90+, and Linux environments.
I further interacted with phenotyping researchers whose focus on innovations such as digital phenotyping highlighted the future direction of swine research.
My visit also coincided with Hendrix’s anniversary celebrations, which allowed me to gain deeper insights into the company’s history and its global presence, operating in more than 25 countries and supporting producers in over 100 countries worldwide.
This experience underscored the collaborative spirit of the international research community and reinforced the global impact of integrated phenotypic and genomic approaches to livestock improvement. It also helped me appreciate the importance of my project in advancing the swine sector by contributing to the production of high-quality pigs and pork products.