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Genetic variation and responses in reproductive performance of sows in lines selected for growth rate under restricted feeding

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

N. H. Nguyen ,
C. P. McPhee  and
C. M. Wade
N. H. Nguyen*
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia Institute of Agricultural Science of South Vietnam, HoChiMinh City, Viet Nam
C. P. McPhee
Affiliation:
Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Animal Research Institute, Yeerongpilly, QLD4105, Australia
C. M. Wade
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 9 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA, 02141, USA
*
†Email: n.nguyen@cgiar.org/nhongnguyen@yahoo.com
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Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine genetic changes in reproduction traits in sows (total number born (TNB), number born alive (NBA), average piglet birth weight (ABW) and number of piglets weaned (NW), body weight prior to mating (MW), gestation length (GL) and daily food intake during lactation (DFI)) in lines of Large White pigs divergently selected over 4 years for high and low post-weaning growth rate on a restricted ration. Heritabilities and repeatabilities of the reproduction traits were also determined. The analyses were carried out on 913 litter records using average information-restricted maximum likelihood method applied to single trait animal models. Estimates of heritability for most traits were small, except for ABW (0·33) and MW (0·35). Estimates of repeatability were slightly higher than those of heritability for TNB, NBA and NW, but they were almost identical for ABW, MW, GL and DFI. After 4 years of selection, the high growth line sows had significantly heavier body weight prior to mating and produced significantly more piglets born alive with heavier average birth weight than the low line sows. There were, however, no statistical differences between the selected lines in TNB or NW. The lower food intake of high relative to low line sows during lactation was not significant, indicating that daily food intake differences found between grower pigs in the high and low lines (2·71 v. 2·76 kg/day, s.e.d. 0·024) on ad libitum feeding were not fully expressed in lactating sows. It is concluded that selection for growth rate on the restricted ration resulted in beneficial effects on important measures of reproductive performance of thea sows.

Keywords

growthpigsreproductive performanceselection
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 82 , Issue 1 , February 2006 , pp. 7 - 12
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2006

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