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Relationships between the H and A-O Blood Types, Phosphohexose Isomerase and 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase Red Cell Enzyme Systems and Halothane Sensitivity, and Economic Traits in a Superior and an Inferior Selection Line of Swiss Landrace Pigs^1,2,

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH)³, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland

Abstract

Associations between production traits and the genes for halothane sensitivity (HAL), S, A and H blood group systems and phosphohexose isomerase (PHI) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PGD) enzyme systems were investigated in two lines of pigs selected for an index. The phenotypic variance-covariance matrix of the index included backfat thickness and daily gain, whereas the genetic variance-covariance matrix included daily gain, feed conversion and percentage of lean meat. The experiment was conducted at the experimental station of the Institute of Animal Production and has been underway since 1973. The same index was applied but in two opposite directions to give a superior and inferior line in relation to the production traits. One hundred twenty-nine animals of the superior line in the seventh generation and 88 animals of the inferior line in the sixth generation were studied. Forty-two percent (54/129) of the animals of the superior line were halothane-positive. No animals in the inferior line were halothane reactors. Of the halothane-positive pigs, 70.4% (38/54) in the superior line had the H^aH^a and 94.4% (51/54) had the SS genotype, whereas only 4% (3/75) of the H^aH^a and 12% (9/75) of the SS pigs were halothane-negative. By practicing selection at the H and S loci, it seems possible to efficiently reduce halothane sensitivity in Swiss Landrace pigs. In pigs of the superior line, there were significant differences in percentage of lean meat, carcass length, pH₁ (pH value at 45 min to 1 h postmortem, M. longissimus) and reflectance values among genotypes of the HAL, S and H systems and among some genotypes of the 6-PGD system. Poorest meat quality, highest percentage of lean meat and shortest carcass length were observed in pigs homozygous for the alleles HALⁿ, S, H^a, PHI^B and 6-PGD^A. In the inferior line, these associations were absent. As the HAL locus is associated with the above mentioned production traits, linkage disequilibria may explain the observed associations among the H, S, PHI and 6-PGD types and production traits.

¹ The authors thank A. Rebsamen, Swiss Performance Testing Station, Sempach, and other public and private breeding organizations in Switzerland for financial support.

² Appreciation is expressed to C. Dermirbaga and M. Lauber for excellent technical assistance and to V. Madison for revising the manuscript.

³ Institute of Animal Production, Breeding Section.