Evaluation of Station Testing of Pigs

Abstract

Abstract Carcass measurements, growth rate and age at slaughter were studied for the Landrace, Yorkshire and Hampshire breeds, using 4117, 2224, 561 test groups respectively, each group consisting of two pigs, representing 1091, 593 and 117 sires. Heritabilities for lean percentage were; 0.70, 0.81 and 0.27; for percent meat ± bone in back; 0.64, 0.73 and 0.25; for percent meat ± bone in ham; 0.73, 0.87 and 0.51; and for ham percentage 0.43, 0.43 and 0.28 for Landrace, Yorkshire and Hampshire respectively. Lean percentage had positive genetic correlations with daily gain, meat colour (unfavourable), and dressing percentage. Carcass length had very low genetic correlations with lean percentage. Dressing percentage had positive genetic correlations with meat colour (unfavourable), percent meat ± bone in back and ham and lean percentage for both Landrace and Yorkshire. Possible ways of improving the utilization of the results of carcass evaluation are discussed. Key Words: variance componentsgenetic correlationsheritability