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Genetic analyses of piglet survival and individual birth weight on first generation data of a selection experiment for piglet survival under outdoor conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2017

R. Roehe*
Affiliation:
Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
N. P. Shrestha
Affiliation:
University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom
W. Mekkawy
Affiliation:
Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
P. W. Knap
Affiliation:
PIC International Group, Schleswig, Germany
K. M. Smurthwaite
Affiliation:
Grampian Country Food Group, Turriff, Grampian, United Kingdom
S. Jarvis
Affiliation:
Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
A. B. Lawrence
Affiliation:
Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
S. A. Edwards
Affiliation:
University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom
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Extract

Peri- and postnatal mortality of piglets is reported to be around 20% and genetic improvement in piglet survival has great potential benefits in terms of animal welfare, economics and the environment. The indication of an unfavourable genetic correlation between litter size and survival in particular points to the importance of including piglet survival in those pig breeding programmes that currently only aim to increase litter size. Phenotypically, individual birth weight is closely associated with piglet survival (Roehe and Kalm, 2000). Genetic parameters for piglet survival traits and individual birth weight therefore need to be estimated in order to genetically improve piglet survival efficiency

Type
Theatre Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2007

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References

Roehe, R. and Kalm, E. 2000. Animal Science 70: 227–240.Google Scholar
Misztal, I., Tsuruta, S., Strabel, T., Auvray, B., Druet, T. and Lee, D. H. 2002. 7th World Congress Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, Montpellier, CD-ROM Communication No. 28-07.Google Scholar