[en] Genetic parameters for birth weight (BWT), preweaning mortality (PWM), and hot carcass weight (HCW) were estimated for a crossbred pig population to determine if BWT could be used as an early predictor for later performances. Sire genetic effects for those traits were estimated to determine if early selection of purebred sires used in crossbreeding could be improved. Data were recorded from one commercial farm between 2008 and 2010. Data were from 24,376 crossbred pigs from Duroc sires and crossbred Large White × Landrace dams and included 24,376 BWT and PWM records, and 13,029 HCW records. For the analysis, PWM was considered as a binary trait (0 for live or 1 for dead piglet at weaning). A multi-trait threshold-linear animal model was used, with animal effect divided into sire genetic and dam effects; the dam effects included both genetic and environmental variation due to the absence of pedigree information for crossbred dams. Fixed effects were sex and parity for all traits, contemporary groups for BWT and HCW, and age at slaughter as a linear covariable for HCW. Random effects were sire additive genetic, dam, litter, and residual effects for all traits, and contemporary group for PWM. Heritability estimates were 0.04 for BWT, 0.02 for PWM, and 0.12 for HCW. Ratio between sire genetic and total estimated variances was 0.01 for BWT and PWM, and 0.03 for HCW. Dam and litter variances explained respectively 14% and 15% of total variance for BWT, 2% and 10% for PWM, and 3% and 8% for HCW. Genetic correlations were −0.52 between BWT and PWM, 0.55 between BWT and HCW, and -0.13 between PWM and HCW. Selection of purebred sires for higher BWT of crossbreds may slightly improve survival until weaning and final market weight at the commercial level.
Disciplines :
Animal production & animal husbandry Genetics & genetic processes
Author, co-author :
Dufrasne, Marie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Sciences agronomiques > Zootechnie
Misztal, Ignacy; University of Georgia > Animal and Dairy Science
Tsuruta, Shogo; University of Georgia > Animal and Dairy Science
Holl, Justin; Smithfield Premium Genetics
Gray, Kent; Smithfield Premium Genetics
Gengler, Nicolas ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Sciences agronomiques > Zootechnie
Language :
English
Title :
Estimation of genetic parameters for birth weight, preweaning mortality, and hot carcass weight of crossbred pigs
Publication date :
2013
Journal title :
Journal of Animal Science
ISSN :
0021-8812
eISSN :
1525-3163
Publisher :
American Society of Animal Science, Savoy, United States - Illinois
Volume :
91
Pages :
5565-5571
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
FRIA - Fonds pour la Formation à la Recherche dans l'Industrie et dans l'Agriculture
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