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The Relation between Average Daily Gain and Some Carcass Measurements¹

University of Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station

Abstract

Carcass data on 416 animals were studied to determine the relative importance of hereditary and environmental factors which affect depth of back fat, length of hind leg, ham circumference, and average daily gain from weaning to slaughter. The feeding period was divided into two portions so that the relation between gain and the other characters could be studied during the growing as opposed to the fattening period.

Hereditary factors accounted for 12 percent of the variance for depth of back fat and 23 percent of the variance for length of hind leg. The estimates of heritability for the other characters were between these two extremes.

Relative importance of litter environment varied from 3.7 percent for ham circumference to about 25 percent for depth of back fat.

Environmental factors peculiar to the pigs varied from about 59 percent for leg length to 80 percent for ham circumference.

Simple correlations between gain and depth of back fat and gain and ham circumference were low and positive, while that between gain and length of hind leg was negative. Genetic correlations were not significant but indicated a negative correlation between gain and depth of back fat and length of hind leg, but a positive genetic correlation between gain and ham circumference.

These results with Duroc-Jersey swine seem to indicate less genetic but more environmental association between rapid gains and fatness than has been found in Poland Chinas. This may indicate a breed difference in the relation between fatness and rate of gain.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director as paper No. 420, Journal Series, Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station in cooperation with the Regional Swine Laboratory, Ames, Iowa, Bureau of Animal Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture.

The aid of Mr. C. F. Reinmiller, Mr. E. A. Wolfe and Dr. L. N. Hasel in gathering the data is gratefully acknowledged.