scholarly journals A comparative study of the reproductive traits and clustering analysis among different pig breeds

Author(s):  
S. S. Kramarenko ◽  
S.I. Lugovoy ◽  
A. V. Lykhach ◽  
A. S. Kramarenko ◽  
V. Ya. Lykhach

The data were from 149 pigs from seven pig genetic groups raised in «Tavriys'ki Svyni» Ltd (Kherson region, Ukraine). The following genetic groups were included in our analyses: LW × LW (n = 19), LW × LN (n = 43), LW × PT (n = 13), LN × LN (n = 15), UM × LN (n = 23), UM × PT (n = 17) and UM×UM (n = 16). The objective this work was evaluation of animal reproductive traits using multivariate analysis. Variables measured and derived included total no. piglets born (TNB), no. piglets born alive (NBA), freq. of stillborn piglets (FSB), total litter birth weight (TLBW), average piglet birth weight (APBW), pre-weaning mortality in piglets (PWM), no. weaned piglets (NW), total weaning weight of litter (TWWL) and average piglet weaning weight (APWW). After standardization, multivariate analyses (Cluster analysis and Principal Component Analysis) were carried out using STATISTICA (StatSoft Ltd.) to place pig interbreeding combinations in groups in accordance with their degree of similarity and verify discriminatory capacity of the original traits in the formation of these groups. The tree diagram showed clear distances between the pig genetic groups studied. In the tree diagram obtained from the analysis of the distances between interbreeding combinations, two distinct groups (clusters) were seen, one with UM × LN and UM × UM animals, and the other with the rest of the pig genetic groups in the study. The eigenvalues for the first two Principal Components (PC1 and PC2) together accounted for near 65% of the variance of the pig’s reproductive traits. The first principal component (PC1) explained 34.9% total variation. It was represented by significant positive loadings for TNB, NBA and TLBW. The second principal component (PC2) accounted for an additional 29.7% of the generalized variance and was represented by significant loadings for NW, TWWL and APWW. Thus, PC1 defined no. piglets and total litter birth weight, while PC2 represented no. weaned piglets and total weaning weight of litter. In conclusion, the multivariate methods (Cluster Analysis and PCA) has been proven to be a very effective method to obtain a synthetic judgment of reproductive traits in pig.

Author(s):  
N Fetherstone ◽  
N McHugh ◽  
T M Boland ◽  
F M McGovern

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of the ewe’s maternal genetic merit and country of origin (New Zealand or Ireland) on ewe reproductive, lambing and productivity traits. The study was performed over a four year period (2016 to 2019) and consisted of three genetic groups: high maternal genetic merit New Zealand (NZ), high maternal genetic merit Irish (High Irish) and low maternal genetic merit Irish (Low Irish) ewes. Each group contained 30 Suffolk and 30 Texel ewes, selected based on the respective national maternal genetic indexes; i.e. either the New Zealand Maternal Worth (New Zealand group) or the €uro-star Replacement index (Irish groups). The impact of maternal genetic merit on reproductive traits such as litter size; lambing traits such as gestation length, birth weight, lambing difficulty, mothering ability, and productivity traits such as the number of lambs born and weaned were analyzed using linear mixed models. For binary traits, the impact of maternal genetic merit on reproductive traits such as conception to first AI service; lambing traits such as dystocia, perinatal lamb mortality and productivity traits such as ewe survival were analyzed using logistic regression. New Zealand ewes outperformed Low Irish ewes for conception to first AI (P<0.05) and litter size (P=0.05). Irish ewes were more likely to suffer from dystocia (6.84 (High Irish) and 8.25 (Low Irish) times) compared to NZ ewes (P<0.001); birth weight and perinatal mortality did not differ between groups (P>0.05). Lambs born from NZ ewes were 4.67 (95% CI: 1.89 to 11.55; P<0.001) and 6.54 (95% CI: 2.56 to 16.71; P<0.001) times more likely to stand up and suckle unassisted relative to lambs born from High or Low Irish ewes, respectively. New Zealand and High Irish ewes had a greater number of lambs born and weaned throughout the duration of the study compared to their Low Irish counterparts (P<0.001). New Zealand ewes tended to be more likely to survive from one year to the next compared to Low Irish ewes (P=0.07). Irish ewes of high maternal genetic merit outperformed their Low counterparts in total number of lambs born and weaned per ewe, but performance did not differ across other traits investigated. This highlights the importance of continuous development of the Irish maternal sheep index to ensure favourable improvements in reproductive, lambing and productivity traits at farm level. Overall, results demonstrate the suitability of NZ genetics in an Irish production system.


1976 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 791-801
Author(s):  
I. GARNETT ◽  
G. W. RAHNEFELD

Female reproductive performance and pre-weaning survival and growth were examined in a population of swine over 11 generations of selection for post-weaning average daily gain (ADG). Three separate breeding groups were used: (1) a Lacombe (L) line selected each generation for ADG, (2) a Yorkshire control (Y) line, and (3) a crossbred Lacombe × Yorkshire group (LY) generated each generation from the L and Y lines. Breeding group differences were evident for litter size, perinatal mortality, pre-weaning mortality, gestation length, birth weight, pre-weaning average daily gain (PreADG) and weaning weight. Selection did not affect number born, number born alive, number weaned or birth weight. When the values for the L line were expressed as a deviation from the control, pre-weaning mortality showed an increase. The increase appeared to be due to a decrease in the control rather than an increase in the L line. Gestation length showed a negative response to selection. As in the case of pre-weaning mortality, the response appeared to be a reflection of the instability of the control line. Genetic gains in PreADG of 0.004 kg/day/generation were realized in both the L line and LY group. Correspondingly, responses of 0.18 and 0.19 kg/generation were realized for weaning weight in the L line and LY group.


2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 1224-1232
Author(s):  
Jia Luo ◽  
Yiting Yang ◽  
Kun Liao ◽  
Bin Liu ◽  
Ying Chen ◽  
...  

Objective: The QingYu pig is well known for its excellent meat quality attributes in Sichuan province, China. In order to improve its production efficiency, the determination of genetic factors contributing to quantifiable economic traits of livestock is important. Moreover, the cross-breeding of QingYu pigs with western breeds possessing strong growth attributes is an efficient way to improve the performance of this breed.Methods: Here, the genetic parameters of several important reproductive traits of QingYu pigs were estimated, include total number born (TNB), number born alive, litter birth weight, individual birth weight, number of piglets weaned, litter weaning weight, and individual weaning weight. The data was analyzed using the ASReml 3.0 software (NSW Inc., Sydney, Australia). Furthermore, the effects of crossing Berkshire with QingYu (BQ) pigs on carcass and meat quality traits, as well as the effects of slaughter weight on carcass and meat quality of BQ were characterized.Results: QingYu pigs exhibited superior reproductive traits. The TNB available to QingYu pigs was more than 8 per parity. The observed repeatability of the reproductive traits of the QingYu pigs was between 0.10 and 0.23. The significantly correlated genetic and phenotypic of reproduction traits were consistent. Interestingly, the BQ pigs exhibited improved carcass quality, with a significant increase in loin muscle area, lean percentage and reduction in sebum percentage. As a result, BQ had higher L<sub>45min</sub>, lower cooking scores, and lower drip loss. In addition, the loin muscle area, body length, and sebum percentage were significantly higher in 90 and 100 kg animals. Cooking loss showed a significant increase at 80 kg, and marbling increased significantly from 90 kg.Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that QingYu pigs exhibit excellent reproductive properties and heritability of these traits. Crossing with Berkshire is an efficient strategy to improve the carcass and meat quality of QingYu pigs for commercial operations. Furthermore, it appears as though the optimal slaughter weight of BQ pigs is at approximately 90 kg.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 69-69
Author(s):  
Lauren Stevens ◽  
Emily G Hayes ◽  
Piush Khanal ◽  
Shaneqwa Thomas ◽  
Mozell Byars ◽  
...  

Abstract Savanna sires were evaluated for kid preweaning and doe reproductive traits over six years. Savanna (n = 17) and Kiko (n = 13) sires were bred to Kiko-base does producing 600 kids. Savanna (n = 17) and Spanish (n = 11) sires were bred to Spanish-base does producing 456 kids. Doe traits were evaluated on 536 Kiko and 441 Spanish doe exposures. Kids were weighed at birth and when weaned at 3 mo of age. Non-genetic factors sex and litter size influenced (P &lt; 0.05) kid performance traits as expected. Birth weights of kids from Kiko does were heavier (P &lt; 0.01) for Savanna sires than Kiko sires (3.11 vs. 2.83 ± 0.08 kg). Birth weights of kids from Spanish does were heavier (P &lt; 0.01) for Savanna sires than Spanish sires (3.05 vs. 2.76 ± 0.09 kg). Sire breed did not affect (P &lt; 0.05) weaning weight from Kiko does (15.0 vs 14.8 ±0.6 kg). Savanna sires generated heavier (P &lt; 0.05) weaning weights than Spanish sires (14.2 vs. 13.3 ± 0.6 kg) from Spanish does. Sire breed did not affect ADG or kid survival rates in either doe group. Non-genetic factors litter size and age of dam affected (P &lt; 0.05) doe performance traits in both doe groups. Savanna sires produced heavier litters (P &lt; 0.01) at birth compared to Kiko sires on Kiko does (10.7 vs. 9.7 ± 0.4 kg) and compared to Spanish sires on Spanish does (9.4 vs. 8.3 ± 0.5 kg). Service sire breed did not affect kidding or weaning rate, number of kids born or weaned, or litter weaning weight in either doe group. Savanna sires consistently increased birth weight values. Sire breed did not consistently affect weaning weight values and did not influence other preweaning kid traits or doe reproductive traits.


Author(s):  
Libor Sládek ◽  
Vladimír Mikule ◽  
Martina Behančínová

The aim of the experiment was to analyse reproductive characters in hybrid pig combination (CLW x CL) x (D x Pn). These reproductive traits of sows were studied: number of all, live born and weaned piglets, loses from live born piglets till weaning. These influences with an impact on reproductive characters were monitored: order of litter, number of piglets in a litter, birth weight of piglets, influences of sex and litter order on birth weight of piglets. An average number of all born piglets per sow and litter it was 13.25 piglets. From this an average number of live born piglets it was 12.48 piglets per sow and litter and from each litter there was 11.40 of weaned piglets. The highest number of live born piglets was reached in sows on the fourth litter – 14.50 piglets. On eighth and nineth litter fertility decreased to 11.60 and 11.00 piglets. Statistical conclusive difference (P ≤ 0.05) was found between fourth (14.50) and nineth (11.00) litter. Among birth weight in both sexes a statistical conclusive difference (P ≤ 0.05) was found. Higher birth weight (1.46 kg) was found in boars in comparison with gilts (1.40 kg). The highest birth weights in gilts were reached in litters of sows on the second and nineth litters – 1.49 kg and 1.48 kg. Birth weight decreased on tenth litter with average weight of 1.28 kg. The highest birth weight in boars was detected on the seventh litter but on the seventh litter piglets of only one sow were weightened so the result 1.67 kg is not objective. The second highest average birth weight was reached on the third litters – 1.53 kg. On the contrary the lowest average birth weight was on the fourth and tenth litters where boars reached weight of 1.28 and 1.25 kg. Statistical conclusive difference (P ≤ 0.05) was found between the second (1.53 kg) and tenth (1.25 kg) litter.


Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1164
Author(s):  
Błażej Nowak ◽  
Anna Mucha ◽  
Magdalena Moska ◽  
Wojciech Kruszyński

The present research aimed to study twelve reproductive indicators related to litter size and the farrowing interval for three maternal (Polish Large White, Polish Landrace, and Yorkshire) and three paternal (Duroc, Berkshire, Hampshire) breeds, raised on two farms in Poland and a farm in the United States. The study included 196 sows (45 Polish Large White, 37 Polish Landrace, 26 Berkshire, 33 Duroc, 40 Yorkshire, and 15 Hampshire), which altogether gave birth to 736 litters. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to verify the influence of the breed on the reproductive traits, with a post-hoc procedure for pairwise comparisons implemented in the pgirmes of R. The adegenet, ade4, and factoextra packages of R were used to conduct multivariate analysis of the traits by means of principal component analysis. The breed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) influenced the following traits related to litter size: the total number of piglets born per litter, the number and percentage of piglets born alive per litter, the percentage of stillborn piglets per litter, the number and percentage of weaned piglets per litter; and those related to the farrowing interval: the lengths of gestation, lactation, the farrowing-to-conception interval, and the farrowing interval. The breed did not statistically significantly influence the number of stillborn piglets per litter and the length of the weaning-to-conception interval. Polish Landrace and Polish Large White sows had the highest numbers of born (for both, the mean of 14.0), born alive (12.9 and 12.7), and weaned piglets (11.5 and 10.5), which statistically significantly differed from these parameters in the other breeds. Polish Landrace sows significantly differed from all the other breeds in terms of the percentage of weaned piglets (84.1%), while Berkshire sows in terms of gestation length (118.4 days).


2012 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-18
Author(s):  
MS Hossen ◽  
SS Hossain ◽  
AKFH Bhuiyan ◽  
MA Hoque ◽  
MAS Talukder

Data on 3637 cows of seven genetic groups at Baghabarighat milk shed area during the period from 1991 to 2000 were analyzed. The genetic groups were Pabna Milking Cows (PMC), ½Sahiwal×½PMC (SL×PMC), ½Frisian×½PMC (FN×PMC), ½Australian Friesian Sahiwal×½PMC (AFS×PMC), ½Sahiwal×¼Friesian×¼PMC [SL(FN×PMC)], ½Friesian×¼Sahiwal×¼PMC [FN(SL×PMC)] and ½Friesian×¼Jersey×¼PMC [FN(JR×PMC)]. The purpose of this study was to compare the productive (birth weight, lactation length, lactation yield, fat% and SNF%) and reproductive (age at first service, service per conception, postpartum heat period and calving interval) traits of different crossbred cows. The highest birth weight of calves was obtained as 29.78 kg in AFS×PMC, lactation yield as 2225.52 liters in FN(JR×PMC), fat% as 4.48 in SL×PMC and SNF% as 8.10 in FN(SL×JR). The longest lactation length was observed as 305.18 days in AFS×PMC. The shortest age at first service was observed as 26.83 months in FN(PMC×SL), postpartum heat period as 133.23 days in PMC and calving interval as 414.90 days in PMC. The lowest service per conception was found to be 1.22 in PMC cows. The high genetic variability of birth weight, lactation yield, fat and SNF% indicated that there are good opportunities for genetic improvement of these traits through selection. From the results, it is evident that the level of production of different crossbred cows found to be higher but important reproductive traits were significantly better on PMC. Thus it may be concluded that for long term sustainable development and conservation program for PMC should be initiated alongside with that of crossbred in this particular study area.http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjas.v41i1.11970


Author(s):  
Libor Sládek ◽  
Vladimír Mikule ◽  
Kateřina Wasserbauerová

The aim of the study was to evaluate influences which affect reproductive characters of sows in chosen reproductive breeding. These reproductive traits of sows were studied: number of all, live born and weaned piglets, losses from live born piglets till weaning. These influences which affect reproductive characters were studied: order of litter, number of piglets in litter, birth weight of piglets and influence of sex on birth weight of piglets. An average number of all born piglets per litter it was 11.74 animals. From that 11.33 live born piglets per sow and litter. 10.15 piglets were weaned from each litter in average. It represents 11.68 % of losses in live born piglets till weaning. An influence of litter order on number of live born piglets in litter was studied in an experiment. The first litters show 11.36 of live born piglets in average, the second litters 10.38 piglets, the third litters 10.43 piglets and the fourth litters 10.75 piglets. Maximum was reached on fifth litter with 13.33 of live born piglets. From the sixth litter number of live born piglets was decreasing. On the sixth litter it was 12.33 piglets, on the seventh only 9.40 of live born piglets. Between fifth litter (13.33 piglets) and seventh litter (9.40 piglets) statistical conclusive difference (P ≤ 0.05) was found. The sixth litters showed the highest number of weaned piglets – 11.00. On the contrary the lowest number of weaned piglets it was on the seventh litter – 8.40 piglets. Statistical conclusive difference among the numbers of weaned piglets according to litter order it was not proved. Higher average birth weight (1.50 kg) was found in boars in comparison to gilts (1.46 kg). Next birth weight of gilts and boars was studied in dep endence on litter order. The lowest birth weight in both sexes was found on the first litters – gilts (1.27 kg) and boars (1.36 kg). Gilts reached the highest birth weights on the seconds and the sixths litters (1.62 kg). Statistical conclusive difference (P ≤ 0.05) was found in gilts among litters one (1.27 kg) and two (1.62 kg) respectively six (1.62 kg). Boars reached the lowest birth weight (1.36 kg) on the first litter. The highest birth weight of boars (1.73 kg) was reached on the fourth litter. Statistical conclusive difference (P ≤ 0.05) was found among these litters. Next statistical conclusive difference (P ≤ 0.05) was found between the first (1.36) and sixth (1.70 kg) litter and statistical conclusive difference (P ≤ 0.01) between the first and the second litter (1.68 kg).


Author(s):  
A. S. Kramarenko ◽  
S. S. Kramarenko ◽  
S. I. Lugovoy ◽  
O. I. Yulevich

The main aim of this paper is to analyze the influence of genetic and non-genetic factors on the birth weight and weaning weight of lambs. The study was carried out on the basis of the Institute of Animal Husbandry of Steppe Regions named by M. F. Ivanov “Askania-Nova” – the National Scientific Agricultural Center in Sheep Breeding of NAAS. Birth and weaning weights data collected during a 5-vear period from 3961 lambs were used. The reproductive traits of the Ascanian fine-fleece (AC) ewes were evaluated in combination with the rams of different genotypes: Ascanian fine-fleece, Australian merino (AM) and half-bred animals (1/2AC+1/2AM). The main effect of the ram genotype and the year of lambing, the age of the ewes, the litter size, the sex of lamb and the sex ratio in twins on the birth weight and weaning weight of lambs was analysed using one-way ANOVA. Differences between years of the 5-year period were highly significantly (P < 0.001) for all lamb traits studied. The effects of the environmental factor (year of lambing) on the birth weight and weaning weight of lambs represented 27.2 and 15.2 per cent of the total variance, respectively. The ram-group effects, which are mainly genetic differences, were highly significant (P < 0.001) in all traits. Age of dam had significant effect on the birth weight of lambs (P = 0.048) and was relatively unimportant as a source of variation. Two-year-old ewes bore lighter lambs than older ewes. There were no significant differences in the weaning weight of lambs from the ewes of different age classes. Survival rate was related to birth weight of lambs. Lamb survival increased up to a birth weight of 4.0 kg and only declined when they weighed more than 5.0 kg at birth. Our results showed that singles were 0.61 kg heavier than twins at birth and were 2.42 kg heavier than twins at weaning. Litter size (type of birth) was responsible for 42.5 and 10.0 % of total variability in birth and weaning weights of lambs, respectively (in both cases: P < 0.001). Average birth and weaning weights of male lambs were higher than the females (in both cases: P < 0.001).


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