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Estimation of genetic associations between reproduction and production traits based on a sire and dam line with common ancestry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 2009

D. N. R. G. Kapell ,
C. J. Ashworth ,
G. A. Walling ,
A. B. Lawrence ,
S. A. Edwards  and
R. Roehe
D. N. R. G. Kapell
Affiliation:
Sustainable Livestock Systems Group, Scottish Agricultural College, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
C. J. Ashworth
Affiliation:
Sustainable Livestock Systems Group, Scottish Agricultural College, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9PS, UK
G. A. Walling
Affiliation:
JSR Genetics Ltd, Southburn, Driffield, East Yorkshire, YO25 9ED, UK
A. B. Lawrence
Affiliation:
Sustainable Livestock Systems Group, Scottish Agricultural College, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
S. A. Edwards
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture Food and Rural Development, Newcastle University, Agriculture Building, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK
R. Roehe*
Affiliation:
Sustainable Livestock Systems Group, Scottish Agricultural College, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
*
†E-mail: Rainer.Roehe@sac.ac.uk
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Abstract

Genetic parameters for survival, reproduction and production traits were estimated for a sire and dam line, originating from one Large White breed separated more than 25 years ago. The change in parameters due to different selection pressure on reproduction and production traits in both lines was also examined. Data collected between 1990 and 2007 were available for the analysis of reproduction traits in 4713 litters (sire line) and 14836 litters (dam line) and for the production traits in 58329 pigs (sire line) and 108912 pigs (dam line). Genetic parameters were estimated using a Bayesian approach. Average phenotypic differences between lines were substantial with 1.5 more piglets born in the dam line and 1.7 mm less backfat thickness (BF) in the sire line. Based on a multiple trait analysis which included both reproduction and production traits, heritabilities for survival and litter size traits in the sire (or dam) line were estimated at 0.03 ± 0.01 (0.06 ± 0.01) for percentage of stillborn piglets (SB), 0.10 ± 0.03 (0.11 ± 0.01) for total number of piglets born (NBT) and 0.09 ± 0.03 (0.09 ± 0.01) for number of piglets born alive. Heritabilities for production traits were estimated at 0.29 ± 0.01 (0.29 ± 0.01) for average daily gain, 0.50 ± 0.01 (0.42 ± 0.01) for BF and 0.41 ± 0.01 for muscle depth. Selection pressure on litter size in the dam line resulted in a slightly unfavourable correlation for SB–NBT (0.21 ± 0.11), which was only marginally unfavourable in the sire line (0.06 ± 0.24). Selection pressure on BF in the sire line may have resulted in the moderately undesirable correlation with SB (−0.46 ± 0.15), which was not significant in the dam line (−0.08 ± 0.06). Changing the base population in the dam line to animals born since the year 2000 indicated that selection pressure on different traits has altered the heritabilities and correlations of the traits within the line. The undesirable correlations between survival at birth and reproduction traits or production traits were low so that simultaneous improvement of all traits can be achieved. Heritabilities for survival at birth and reproduction traits were low, but genetic variation was substantial and extensive pedigree information can be used to improve the accuracy of breeding values, so that genetic improvement is expected to be efficient.

Keywords

breedsgenetic correlationspigsselectionsurvival
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 3 , Issue 10 , October 2009 , pp. 1354 - 1362
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2009

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