Swine genetics companies merge

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

by BETTER FARMING STAFF

Swine Genetics Ontario (SGO) has merged with Alliance Genetics Canada (AGC).

Bob Matheson, owner of RH Matheson Farms of Embro, told Better Farming his SGO herd will be added to other herds that are part of AGC. “We just added one more herd to the Alliance group,” he said.

“Instead of us being known as Swine Genetics Ontario,” Matheson said, “we’ll be known as Alliance Genetics Canada.” He added that he will continue to run RH Matheson Farms in the Embro area where he has two herds, one of 450 purebred sows and the other a commercial herd of about the same size.

Dave Vandenbroek, CEO of AGC, quoted in a news release, said,  “This agreement adds another strong nucleus to our top Duroc, Yorkshire and Landrace genetics.”

The news release also said combining AGC and SGO ”will together make up the largest genetically connected nucleus in Canada.”

AGC was described as “a swine genetics company made up of 13 nucleus herds with 9,000 purebred sows” while SGO was described as “the genetic herd of RH Matheson Farms.” BF