J. Anim Sci.
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Published online first on November 6, 2009
J. Anim Sci. 1910. doi:10.2527/jas.2009-2072
© 2009 American Society of Animal Science
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Genetic parameters for pre-weaning and early growth traits in Berkshire pigs when creep feeding is used

M. Tomiyama*, T. Kanetani{dagger}, Y. Tatsukawa{dagger}, H. Mori{dagger} and T. Oikawa{ddagger}

* Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 981-8555, Japan , {dagger} Okayama Prefectural Center for Animal Husbandry and Research, Misaki-cho, Kume-gun, Okayama 709-3494, Japan {ddagger} Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Tsushima-naka, Okayama 700-8530, Japan

toikawa{at}cc.okayama-u.ac.jp

Abstract

The objective of this study was to find optimal traits for inclusion in selection criteria by estimating genetic parameters for direct genetic, maternal genetic and common environmental effects for growth traits before 60 d of age and the number of teats under an open breeding population, and to evaluate genetic relationships for traits at 60 d of age. Records of 2,344 male and 2,204 female purebred Berkshire pigs were analyzed. For body weight at 14 days of age (W14) and for weaning weight (WW), the heritabilities of direct genetic effect were higher than those of maternal genetic effect. This result is contrary to previous results showing a gradual decrease of maternal genetic effect and an increase of direct genetic effect up to weaning. The positive genetic correlations between direct and maternal genetic effects for W14 and WW are clearly contrary to other reports. This phenomenon seems to be caused by creep feeding started just after the birth of the piglets and maintained throughout the pre-weaning period in this Berkshire population.

Key Words: Berkshire Pigs • Genetic Parameters • Pre-weaning Traits • Creep Feeding






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