Marker, a selection database that adopts a “Big Data” approach

Partner(s): Grimaud Frères
Industry(ies): Duck | Other poultry

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With the development of new technologies and the multitude of new selection data to index, Grimaud Frères R&D experts needed a tool that would enable them to combine performance, reliability, precision and speed of data processing. Marker, a tool developed by the Grimaud Group’s IT department, was successfully brought into service in September 2019.

The key reasons for creating Marker were the development and administration of a single selection database, standardization of the storage of information, and establishment of the same rules for all species on which the Grimaud Group engineers work.

The project was launched in 2016 with the objective of standardizing the information used by the Group’s various subsidiaries: the complete genealogy of each animal, performance measurements, selection work schedule, location of animals, births, insemination, etc. The tool, developed by the Group’s IT department, enables the modulation of content to match the specific characteristics and measurements for each species and precise control of the Research and Development process.

The pooling of the Group’s tools and software increases the power and reliability of data processing in the chosen selection criteria, and enables subsidiaries to distribute even more precise genetic potential to customers.

Thanks to Marker, Grimaud Frères is equipped with a tool capable of meeting all customer selection criteria, which are becoming increasingly specific. The volume of data is constantly increasing thanks to the modern selection technologies used: RFID, Scanner, Tracking, Genomics. The storage of data from new processing algorithms to adhere to selection criteria is ensured in a fast, simple, secure manner. We have seen improved precision and reliability in the data.

After the migration of selection data to this new database, the tool works perfectly with existing field collection tools, and facilitates the work of R&D engineers and technicians. It also makes the transfer of data to external partners such as Sysaaf more reliable, and facilitates data extraction and analysis.

This new, very rigorous tool, that is secure in terms of data handling, is a major asset for breeding selection: storage of alphanumeric or digital data, possible and simpler to work between species, it is suited to genomics, storage of indices, and genetic values of animals. The case of Mulard duck selection is a perfect example of the tool’s power, since Grimaud Frères is one of the few companies in the world to select characteristics from crosses between species.

There are still some improvements to be made, but it is now routine for the selection assistants, Hélène and Amaya, and the Grimaud Frères R&D engineers to work with this tool which is more user-friendly and intuitive than the previous one. We are very grateful to them and the Grimaud Group IT team for the time and significant effort that have been devoted to the development of this new database.

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