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Estimates of Genetic Parameters for Carcass Measures of Body Composition and Growth in Swine¹

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705

Abstract

Records for pigs included in an experiment on reciprocal recurrent selection conducted from 1956 through 1971 at the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center were analyzed to obtain estimates of heritabilities and genetic correlations and to derive prediction equations for estimating weight of lean cuts (WTLC) and percentage of lean cuts of shrunk slaughter weight (LCPC). Lean cuts growth rate (LCGR) was then estimated as WTLC/age of pig at slaughter. The base population consisted of two unrelated crossbred strains. A total of 1,294 records of F1 and F2 crossbred pigs were analyzed with one barrow and one gilt from each litter. Estimates of heritabilities and genetic correlations were computed with sire components of variance and covariance from a nested analysis of variance with an assumed model of years, strain-lines within years, sire within strain-lines, dams within sires and residual. Degrees of freedom were 307 for sires in strain-lines, 270 for dams in sires and 646 for residual. Heritability (h²) estimates were .42 ± .13, .41 ± .13 and .27 ± .18 for WTLC, LCPC and LCGR, respectively, and .71 ± .16, .38 ± .13, .31 ± .13 and .25 ± .15 for carcass length, average backfat thickness, longissimus muscle area and ADG in BW, respectively. These estimates were apparently the first published genetic estimates involving LCGR based on carcass data. It was recommended that prediction equations to estimate WTLC, LCPC and LCGR for use in swine testing programs be derived from current meat-type pigs.

¹ The authors acknowledge with appreciation the comments and suggestions by Lauren Christian, Iowa State Univ.; David England, Oregon State Univ. and Rex Powell and Duane Norman, Beltsville Agric. Res. Center and the contributions of Bonnie Harris, Statistical Assistant, Beltsville Agric. Res. Center.

² Research Geneticist and Research Leader, respectively, Nonruminant Anim. Nutr. Lab., Anim. Sci. Inst., Beltsville Agric. Res. Center, ARS, USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705.