DanBred, together with Vilomix, to officially introduce top-tier pig genetics in Ukraine

DanBred, in partnership with Vilomix, will officially introduce world-class, high-performance pig genetics to the Ukrainian market. The first animals for Ukrainian producers are expected to become available as early as February 2026. The project also includes the launch of a multiplication farm in Khmelnytskyi region, established jointly with the VITAGRO Group.

The new facility will house 1,000 sows and is expected to produce annually:

• 8,000–9,500 DanBred hybrid gilts,
• 350–450 DanBred Yorkshire breeding pigs,
• 300 DanBred Duroc boars.

The first sows have already farrowed, and sales of the first animals are scheduled for February 2026.

“This is an important step in our strategic development and a signal of long-term commitment to Ukraine. We are deliberately investing in local business even in challenging times,” said Stefan Derks, DanBred’s Regional Director for Europe.

DanBred currently runs local breeding programmes in more than 20 countries worldwide, and Ukraine has now become part of this global network.

DanBred is also implementing new breeding criteria aimed at improving survivability and productivity:

• since 2022, piglet survivability traits, delivering a +2 percentage point improvement over two years in Danish commercial herds;
• since 2024, selection for sow longevity;
• since 2025, taking into account the weight gain of the afterbirth to improve productivity.

The company expects that the introduction of DanBred genetics in Ukraine will enable pig producers to boost productivity, reduce costs and strengthen the sector’s competitiveness.

In June 2025, it was announced that the VITAGRO Group and DanBred had signed an agreement to establish a breeding nucleus in Ukraine. The parties had been negotiating the terms of cooperation over the past two years and have now finalised all arrangements, officially launching the joint project.