Selection for components of efficient lean growth rate in pigs 1. Selection pressure applied and direct responses in a Large White herd

1994 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. D. Cameron

AbstractResponses to four generations of divergent selection for lean groivth rate with ad-libitum feeding (LGA), for lean food conversion (LFC) and for daily food intake (DFI) in Large White pigs were studied. The LGA (LFC) selection criterion was designed to obtain equal correlated responses in growth rate (food conversion ratio) and carcass lean content, measured in phenotypic s.d. The selection criteria had phenotypic s.d. of 27, 29 and 253 units, respectively, and results are presented in s.d. units. There was a total of 3537 pigs, with an average of 40 boars and 40 gilts performance tested in each of the high, low and control lines per generation and the lines consisted of 10 sires and 20 dams. The generation interval was equal to 13·5 months. Animals were performance tested in individual pens with mean starting and finishing weights of 30 kg and 85 kg respectively.Cumulative selection differentials in the three selection groups were 5·8, 3·6 and 3·3 phenotypic s.d. for LGA, LFC and DFI respectively. Direct responses to divergent selection were 1·7, 1·3 and 1·2 (s.e. 0·17) for LGA, LFC and DFI. The correlated response in LFC (1·6 (s.e. 0·18)) with selection on LGA was greater than the direct response in LFC. Conversely, the direct response in LGA was greater than the correlated response (1·1 (s.e. 0·18)) with selection on LFC. The response in LFC (–1·1 (s.e. 0·17)) with selection on DFI was similar in size but opposite in sign to the direct response in LFC. Responses were asymmetric about the control, as the high LGA and LFC responses were proportionately smaller (0·74 and 0·58) than low line responses. In contrast, the difference between the high DFI and control was four times greater than the difference between low line and control.Heritabilities of LGA, LFC and DFI were 0·38, 0·35 and 0·29 (s.e. 0·03), when estimated by residual maximum likelihood, with common environmental effects of 0·09 (s.e. 0·02). Genetic correlations for LGA with LFC and DFI were positive, 0·76 (s.e. 0·03) and 0·23 (s.e. 0·07), but the genetic correlation between DFI and LFC was negative, –0·45 (s.e. 0·06). The experiment demonstrated that substantial responses to selection can be achieved in LGA, LFC and DFI. Selection on LGA resulted in larger direct and correlated responses than selection on LFC.

Author(s):  
E.A. Bruce ◽  
N. D. Cameron ◽  
M.K. Curran

This study determined the correlated responses in carcass composition after four generations of divergent selection for components of efficient lean growth rate in Large White (LW) and Landrace (LR) pigs.


Author(s):  
N.D. Cameron

An experiment was started in 1984 at Edinburgh and Wye to study responses to divergent selection for lean growth rate (LGA), lean food conversion ratio (LFC) and daily food intake (DFI). This paper measured the selection pressure applied, the responses in the selection criteria and estimated the genetic and phenotypic relationships between the selection criteria with ad-libitum feeding of Large White pigs after four generations of selection.Selection objectives and criteria. The LGA (LFC) selection objective was to obtain equal correlated responses in growth rate (food conversion ratio) and carcass lean content, measured in phenotypic s.d. The LGA, LFC and DFI selection criteria had phenotypic s.d. of 27, 29 and 250 units and results are presented in s.d. units.


1994 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. D. Cameron ◽  
M. K. Curran

AbstractResponses to divergent selection for lean growth rate with ad-libitum feeding (LGA), for lean food conversion (LFC) and for daily food intake (DFI) in Landrace pigs were studied. Selection was practised for four generations with a generation interval ofl year. A total of 2642 pigs were performance tested in the high, low and control lines, with an average of 37 boars and 39 gilts performance tested per selection line in each generation. The average within-line inbreeding coefficient at generation four was equal to 0·04. There was one control line for the DFI and LFC selection groups and another control line for the LGA selection group. Animals were performance tested in individual pens with mean starting and finishing weights of 30 kg and 85 kg respectively with ad-libitum feeding. The selection criteria had phenotypic s.d. of 32, 29 and 274 units, for LGA, LFC and DFI, respectively, and results are presented in phenotypic s.d.Cumulative selection differentials (CSD) were 5·1, 4·5 and 5·5 phenotypic s.d. for LGA, LFC and DFI, respectively. Direct responses to selection were 1·4,1·1 and 0·9 (s.e. 0·20) for LGA, LFC and DFI. In each of the three selection groups, the CSD and direct responses to selection were symmetric about the control lines. The correlated response in LFC (1·1, s.e. 0·19) with selection on LGA was equal to the direct response in LFC. In contrast, the direct response in LGA was greater than the correlated response (0·7, s.e. 0·18) with selection on LFC. There was a negative correlated response in DFI (-0·6, s.e. 0·18) with selection on LFC, but the response with selection on LGA was not significant (0·2, s.e. 0·16).Heritabilities for LGA, LFC and DFI ivere 0·25, 0·25 and 0·18 (s.e. 0·03), when estimated by residual maximum likelihood, with common environmental effects of 0·12 (s.e. 0·02). Genetic correlations for LFC with LGA and DFI were respectively positive (0·87, s.e. 0·02) and negative (-0·36, s.e. 0·09), while the genetic correlation between DFI and LGA was not statistically different from zero, 0·13 (s.e. 0·10). Selection on components of efficient lean growth has identified LGA as an effective selection objective for improving both LGA and LFC, without a reduction in DFI.


2001 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Chen ◽  
T. J. Baas ◽  
J. C. M. Dekkers ◽  
L. L. Christian

Selection for lean growth rate (LGR) was conducted for four generations in a synthetic line of Yorkshire-Meishan pigs to study the effectiveness of selection for LGR and correlated responses in litter traits. Lean growth rate was estimated from ultrasound measurements of 10th-rib backfat thickness and longissimus muscle area. In the selection line, 7 boars and 20 gilts with the highest LGR were selected to produce the next generation. The generation interval was 13 mo and the average selection differential per generation was 1.1 phenotypic standard deviation units. A contemporaneous control line was maintained by randomly selecting 5 boars and 15 gilts. Data from a total of 1057 pigs sired by 58 boars and out of 133 sows were available from the two lines. Selection responses were estimated from deviations of the selection line from the control line using least squares (LS) and by multiple trait derivative-free restricted maximum likelihood analysis using an animal model (AM). The estimate of response to selection per generation using LS was 9.4 ± 0.95 g d–1 for LGR. The corresponding estimate from the AM was 9.8 ± 0.51 g d–1. Correlated responses in litter traits were regressed on generation. For the LS method, regression coefficients were negative but not significant (P > 0.05) for total number born, number born alive, and number at 21 d and at 42 d. Significant, positive correlated responses occurred in 42-d litter weight and 21-d piglet weight (P < 0.05). For the AM method, the regression coefficients were also negative, but were not significant (P > 0.05) for numberalive at birth, at 21 d, and at 42 d. A significant positive correlated response occurred only for 42-d litter weight (P < 0.05). Although results are based on a population of limited size, it can be concluded that selection for LGR in a synthetic line is effective and should have little effect on litter traits. Key words: Pigs, selection, lean growth rate, correlated response


1996 ◽  
Vol 1996 ◽  
pp. 17-17
Author(s):  
J. C. Kerr ◽  
N. D. Cameron

Responses in sow traits at farrowing and during lactation and in pre-weaning piglet growth rate were determined in a population of Large White pigs, after seven generations of divergent selection for components of efficient lean growth rate. Information on the factors influencing preweaning piglet growth rate is required for a comprehensive evaluation of alternative selection strategies.There were four selection groups: daily food intake (DFI), lean food conversion (LFC), lean growth rate (LGA) on ad-libitum feeding and lean growth rate on scale feeding (LGS). There were 242 gilts in the study, with 20 gilts in the high, low and control lines of each selection group. Pigs in the ad-libitum selection groups were performance tested over a fixed weight range of 30 to 85 kg. Pigs fed on scale feeding were performance tested for a fixed time period of 84 days from 30 kg with food intake equal to 0.75 g/g of daily ad-libitum food intake. Matings were unsupervised and took place in outside paddocks.


1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 9-9
Author(s):  
J. C. Kerr ◽  
N. D. Cameron

Genetic and phenotypic relationships between performance test and reproduction traits were estimated in a population of Large White pigs, after five generations of divergent selection for components of efficient lean growth rate. The parameters are required to evaluate alternative selection strategies in pig breeding programmes.


1989 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 187-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. T. Blair ◽  
S. N. McCutcheon ◽  
D. D. S. Mackenzie ◽  
P. D. Gluckman ◽  
J. E. Ormsby ◽  
...  

SummaryA divergent selection experiment with mice, using plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) at 42 days of age as the selection criterion, was undertaken for 7 generations. Lines were not replicated. To obtain sufficient plasma for the IGF-1 assay, blood from four individuals was volumetrically bulked to obtain a litter mean IGF-1 concentration. This necessitated the use of between family selection. Although inbreeding accumulated in a linear fashion in each of the high, control and low lines, the rates were different for each line (3·6, 1·6 and 5·3% per generation for the high, control and low lines, respectively). As a consequence, the effects of selection and inbreeding are confounded in this experiment. Divergence between the high and low lines in plasma concentrations of IGF-1 continued steadily until generation 5. In generations 6 and 7, there was a reduced degree of divergence and this contributed towards the low realized heritability value of 0.15 ± 0.12. Six-week liveweight showed a steady positive correlated response to selection for or against plasma concentrations of IGF-1 until generation 4 (high-low difference = 1·7 g = 12%). In generation 5, a substantial drop in 6-week liveweight in the low line relative to both the high and control lines occurred (high-low difference, 3·9; g, 25%). This difference was maintained until generation 7.This experiment suggests that genetic variation exists at 6 weeks of age in plasma concentrations of IGF-1 in mice. Furthermore, genetic covariation between plasma IGF-1 concentrations and liveweight at 6 weeks of age is likely to be positive. Further experiments have been initiated to examine these theories.


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