Investing in biotechnology to serve the industry

AXIOM, in partnership with the VetAgroSup school, Thierry Joly from ISARA in Lyon and IFIP, is launching a new scientific project: embryo freezing. This project, carried out in a breeding farm, meets multiple objectives, both for AXIOM but also for the whole pig industry.

Today, different techniques of assistance exist to help reproduction: artificial insemination, semen freezing etc. The freezing of embryos, still uncommon in the pig world, has been studied for many years but has been put aside, to the point where its know-how was beginning to disappear.

However, it is proving to be a true biotechnology of the future by opening up new perspectives for animal husbandry, particularly to facilitate transport. It offers economic, health and practical advantages: the transport of live animals is today costly, complex and subject to multiple regulations. The transport of frozen embryos could alleviate these numerous problems.

By investing in this technology, AXIOM meets 2 objectives:

– Enrich its scientific know-how, acquire and master this state-of-the-art scientific technique, at the service of the industry.

– Contribute to the preservation of genetic variability. This project will feed the National Cryobank, a Scientific Interest Grouping managed by the State. It contributes to the safeguarding of genes, embryos and semen of French domestic animals, including the porcine species.