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Genetic and phenotypic parameters in performance-tested pigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. R. Walters
Affiliation:
Wye College, University of London, Ashford, Kent TN25 5AH
M. K. Curran
Affiliation:
Wye College, University of London, Ashford, Kent TN25 5AH
P. A. Kentish
Affiliation:
Wye College, University of London, Ashford, Kent TN25 5AH
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Summary

Data were available from 11 474 gilts performance-tested on 137 farms. The data were analysed to provide pooled within-farm sire component estimates of h2 and genetic correlations.

Estimates of h2 of 0·43 ± 0·10, 0·44 + 0·09 and 0·49 ±009 were obtained for weight for age, C + K and shoulder fat depths respectively in 3583 gilts in 49 Large White herds. Comparable Landrace values derived from 2810 gilts in 43 herds were 0·44 + 0·11, 0·40 ±0·10 and 0·51 ±0·12 respectively. Estimates were consistent from herd to herd.

Estimates of h2 made on data from 5081 crossbred pigs, of mainly Large White and Landrace parentage, varied with herd from 0·10 to 0·40 for weight for age and from 0·08 to 0·96 for shoulder fat depth. Significant differences between breeds were found for the genetic correlations between weight for age and the fat depths, and between shoulder and mid-backfat depths. The variance was partitioned into various components. For index score, the within-herd variance averaged 73% of the total variance.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1977

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References

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