Growth Performance for Four Breeds of Swine: Crossbred Females and Purebred and Crossbred Boars

Abstract

Purebred and two-breed cross (F 1) boars were mated to F~ females to produce all possible three-and four-breed cross pigs involving the Duroc, Yorkshire, Landrace and Spotted breeds. Individual postweaning average daily gain (ADG), age at 100 kg (AGE) and probed backfat thickness at 100 kg (BE) data were collected on 3,456 pigs. A total of 213 pens with an average of 15.58 pigs per pen was evaluated for postweaning feed-to-gain ratio (F/G) and average daily feed consumption (ADF). Genotype • environment interactions, specifically breed • year-season farrowed and breed X parity (for ADG), were found to be highly significant. Certain results, however, were reasonably consistent across environments. Duroc-sired pigs grew more efficiently than other sire breed groups (3.11 vs 3.21 F/G), although there were no significant differences in ADF between sire groups. Duroc-sired pigs had less BF than other three-breed cross pigs, based upon within breed of dam comparisons, suggesting differences in composition between the more efficient Duroc-sired pigs and other breed groups. Landrace-sired pigs were fatter than other sire groups. No real differences between crossbred-sired pigs and the average of contemporary purebred-sired pigs were apparent for F/G, ADF, ADG, AGE or BF. Assuming paternal heterosis to be zero, these results suggested recombination effects to be negligible for postweaning performance traits. Apart from via direct genetic effects, mating crossbred rather than purebred boars to females of different breeding should have little or no impact on feedlot performance of offspring produced.

Detection of Mendelian and Parent-of-origin Quantitative Trait Loci for Meat Quality in a Cross between Korean Native Pig and Landrace

“…These findings are in a similar fashion with our previous study (Kim et al, 2007), in which many dominance QTL were found for growth and body composition traits. These results support the utilization of heterosis by crossing pig breeds with divergent characteristics as in McLaren et al (1987) and Edwards et al (2003).…”

Evaluation of pig and cattle performance under small scale farmers’ management conditions

“…The possible explanation for the differing results when compared to the current experiment is that pigs managed by small scale poor subsistence farmers cannot express their genetic potential for growth due to lack of proper feeding regimes, in which kitchen leftovers, forages and crop residues are the main components of the diet as was the case in the present study (Tatwangire 2013). Breed did not significantly influence the pig weight in the current experiment which is in line with previous research (McLaren et al, 1987). Although breed may not affect the pig weight, it does affect the carcass and meat quality measures (Edwards et al, 2003).…”

Developmental changes of carcass composition, meat quality and organs in the Jinhua pig and Landrace

“…Different breeds and lines have a predetermined propensity towards excellence in certain areas of carcass composition and meat quality (McLaren et al, 1987;Ellis et al, 1996;Edwards et al, 2003). In China, the Jinhua pig is the most important local breed.…”