Russia Uses AI to Build Genomic Bank to Boost Pig Breeding

In Bashkortostan, scientists and a major agribusiness are creating a DNA and RNA database of domestic pig breeds to improve productivity and genetic quality.

In Russia’s Bashkortostan region, scientists are teaming up with a leading agricultural holding to create a genomic bank aimed at enhancing the breeding potential of pigs. Using domestically developed digital technologies, the project will establish a biobank of DNA and RNA samples from Landrace, Duroc, and Yorkshire breeds. Until recently, these pigs were imported from abroad, but now Russia plans to breed its own herds exclusively. Advances in science will help improve their productivity and other valuable traits.

Artificial intelligence plays a key role in the project, with neural networks decoding entire DNA sequences and identifying genetic markers linked to productivity and other critical characteristics. These IT tools will significantly shorten the breeding cycle. The effort is not limited to one region or company—its results will be available to pig farms across Russia.

The main objective of the breeding program is to boost production efficiency. In 2024, Russia produced 4.87 million metric tons of pork in slaughter weight, surpassing 2023’s results. While previous growth of 5–10 percent annually came mostly from building new production facilities, future gains will be driven by genetic selection and the adoption of digital technologies.