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Darby Genetics Inc. (Korea) and Nucleus (France) are proud to announce the formal review and signing of a renewed Genetic Partnership Agreement. The signing took place in South Korea during an official visit by board members from Cooperl, the parent cooperative of Nucleus, underscoring the deep commitment to advancing swine genetics in the Korean market.
A Decades-Long Legacy of Excellence
The relationship between Darby Genetics and Nucleus dates back to 2006, with a formal technical support agreement established in 2012. This partnership has been instrumental in Darby Genetics maintaining its position as Korea’s leading swine genetics company, contributing to approximately 24% of the domestic pork consumed in Korea.
Key Elements of the Renewed Agreement
The renewed contract outlines a comprehensive framework for genetic and technical collaboration over the next seven years:
- Exclusive Maternal Lines: Darby Genetics will continue to exclusively source Nucleus genetics for maternal lines (Yorkshire and Landrace) to ensure consistency and high reproductive performance.
- National Genetic Progress: Both teams will work to align selection processes and exchange data to ensure Darby’s genetic progress mirrors the high standards set by Nucleus in France.
Driving High-Performance Results
The collaboration has already yielded industry-leading results. Nucleus’ high-prolific maternal lines have enabled Darby’s top client farms to achieve a PSY (Pigs per Sow per Year) of 31.6 in 2023, while the average performance across Darby’s network continues to significantly outperform domestic benchmarks.
Expanding Horizons
Beyond the Korean market, the agreement also facilitates the use of Nucleus genetics within Darby’s operations in Vietnam, where the company established the first Korean subsidiary in the pig breeding industry in 2005.
"This partnership is built on mutual trust and a shared vision to provide safe, high-quality, and delicious pork to consumers," said Seongkyu Yun, Representative Director of Darby Genetics Inc.. "By combining Nucleus’ world-class genetics with Darby’s local expertise, we are shaping the future of the Korean swine industry."
April 8, 2026 - Nucleus
