Social genetic effects (SGE) are genetic effects of an individual that affect the phenotype of its social partners. We determined the reproductive consequences of selection for SGE on growth in pigs. To investigate the influence of social genetic effects on growth, gilts were divided into two groups based on their estimated SGE: positive SGE sows (+SGE) and negative SGE sows (-SGE). At the time of selection, gilts were contemporaries and similarly managed. We recorded the reproductive performance of the two groups based on parity until culling. Reproductive performance included the total number of piglets born (TNB), number of piglets born alive (NBA), average piglet birth weight (BW), coefficient of variation for birth weight (CVBW), age at first farrowing (AFF), weaning to estrus interval (WEI), and gestation length (GL). TNB was 0.5 higher for +SGE sows (13.8) than for -SGE sows (P = 0.03, SEM = 0.06), and NBA exhibited a higher tendency in +SGE sows (P = 0.07, SEM = 0.06). Positive SGE for growth was expressed at an earlier AFF (P = 0.04, SEM = 1.10), and shorter WEI (P < 0.01, SEM = 0.08) and GL (P = 0.03, SEM = 0.03). Collectively, the results of this study highlight the opportunities to improve litter size, the age at first farrowing, gestation length, and weaning to estrus interval using SGE.
A total of 6,804 records for Duroc breed were collected from three farms registered at the Korean Animal Improvement Association (KAIA) from 1998 to 2004 of which both records from two ultrasound modes (A and B) were analyzed to estimate the variance components of carcass traits. Three carcass traits backfat thickness (bf), loin eye muscle area (lma) and lean meat percentage (lmp) were measured. These traits were analyzed separately as bf1, lma1 and lmp1 for ultrasound mode A and bf2, lma2 and lmp2 for ultrasound mode B with multiple trait animal model by using MTDFREML (Boldman et al., 1993). All the traits revealed medium heritability values. Estimated heritabilities for bf1, bf2, lma1, lma2, lmp1 and lmp2 were 0.45, 0.39, 0.32, 0.25, 0.28 and 0.39, respectively. Estimated genetic correlations for traits bf1 and bf2, lma1 and lma2, lmp1 and lmp2 were positive but low. Specifically, genetic correlations between bf1 and bf2 was 0.30 while the estimates for lean traits between lma1 and lma2 and between lmp1 and lmp2 were 0.15 and 0.18, respectively. Conversely, high negative genetic correlations existed between bf1 and the lean traits lma2, lmp2. Likewise, the estimated genetic correlations between lma1 and lma2 and lmp1 and lmp2 were low.
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