The new investments are aimed not only at expanding capacity, but also at improving operational efficiency, achieving energy savings and enhancing animal welfare. In addition to the new finishing house in Velké Němčice, a modern breeding farm in Sedlice, operated by ANIMO Žatec and using DanBred genetics, has also opened following extensive reconstruction.
Over the past two years, the Sedlice farm has undergone complete reconstruction, transforming its original commercial herd into a modern breeding farm using DanBred genetics. The investment amounted to approximately CZK 120 million.
The reconstruction included the modernisation of the farrowing unit, nursery, insemination barns, gilt-rearing facilities and gestation barns. Farmtec supplied the technology. The first gilts arrived at the farm in March this year. The project aims to produce high-quality F1 gilts for AGROFERT Group farms as well as customers in Central Europe. The farm will use Danish DanBred genetics from the Landrace and Yorkshire breeds, delivering better feed conversion, higher weight gains and lower production losses.
“Our goal is to produce gilts of the highest genetic standard, delivering better performance, greater production efficiency and a high-quality foundation for further breeding,” says Pavel Kerber, Production Director at Animo Žatec, a.s. The reconstruction also placed strong emphasis on animal welfare and modern technologies. The farm features individual smart feeding systems that reduce feed waste, modern ventilation, and a system using heat pumps to cool slurry and generate heat. Significant energy savings are also expected thanks to improved building insulation. “Modern technologies enable us to provide the animals with the highest possible level of welfare while also making the entire operation significantly more efficient,” adds Pavel Kerber.
The new breeding facility was presented to the public during an Open Day attended by more than 700 visitors. The farm is expected to produce up to 14,000 F1 gilts annually and strengthen supplies of high-quality genetic material for Czech and international farms.
