HERITABILITIES AND GENETIC CORRELATIONS FOR ULTRASONIC BACKFAT MEASUREMENTS, GROWTH AND CARCASS TRAITS IN SWINE

1982 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 665-670 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. C. JEFFRIES ◽  
R. G. PETERSON

Genetic parameters were estimated for 2403 purebred Yorkshire pigs over a 2-yr period, representing 21 sires. The traits studied included average daily gain, age adjusted to 90 kg, ultrasonic measurements of backfat at the mid-back and loin positions, total and adjusted total ultrasonic backfat and corresponding carcass backfat measurements. Least squares analyses were used to estimate and adjust for the effects of sex, year-season and sex by year-season interaction. Heritabilities and genetic correlations were calculated for all traits using both half- and full-sib estimates. Adjusted age and adjusted total ultrasonic backfat measurements were found to have the highest heritabilities of the live traits in this study. Estimates of heritability for adjusted age and adjusted total ultrasonic backfat were 0.24 ± 0.10 and 0.26 ± 0.10 based on half-sib and 0.56 ± 0.07 and 0.41 ± 0.06 from full-sib analyses. The genetic correlation between these two traits was −0.07 ± 0.28 based on the half-sib method. The total phenotypic correlation was −0.01 ± 0.02. Key words: Swine, ultrasonic backfat, heritabilities, genetic correlations

Genetics ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 143 (3) ◽  
pp. 1409-1416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth R Koots ◽  
John P Gibson

Abstract A data set of 1572 heritability estimates and 1015 pairs of genetic and phenotypic correlation estimates, constructed from a survey of published beef cattle genetic parameter estimates, provided a rare opportunity to study realized sampling variances of genetic parameter estimates. The distribution of both heritability estimates and genetic correlation estimates, when plotted against estimated accuracy, was consistent with random error variance being some three times the sampling variance predicted from standard formulae. This result was consistent with the observation that the variance of estimates of heritabilities and genetic correlations between populations were about four times the predicted sampling variance, suggesting few real differences in genetic parameters between populations. Except where there was a strong biological or statistical expectation of a difference, there was little evidence for differences between genetic and phenotypic correlations for most trait combinations or for differences in genetic correlations between populations. These results suggest that, even for controlled populations, estimating genetic parameters specific to a given population is less useful than commonly believed. A serendipitous discovery was that, in the standard formula for theoretical standard error of a genetic correlation estimate, the heritabilities refer to the estimated values and not, as seems generally assumed, the true population values.


1982 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. T. Wolf

ABSTRACTThe distribution of lean tissue between eight standard joints was examined in 956 crossbred lambs slaughtered at constant live weights of either 35 or 40 kg. The sire breeds used were the Dorset Down, Ile-de-France, Oldenburg, Oxford, Suffolk and Texel. Sire breed did not have a significant effect on the proportion of total carcass lean found in the higher-priced joints but did show significant differences in the proportion of total carcass lean found in individual joints, with a maximum difference of 7·7 g total lean per kg joint being recorded. Similarly, small but significant effects due to ewe age (1 to 3 years), rearing type (single, twin, triplet), sex (male castrate, female) and weight of total lean were reported for the proportion of total carcass lean found in different joints.Heritability estimates ranged from 0·07 (s.e. 008) to 0·65 (s.e. 0·16) for the proportion of total lean in the best-end neck and higher-priced joints respectively. Phenotypic standard deviations of 5·8g/kg and 17·9g/kg were reported for the proportion of total lean found in the best-end neck and the higher-priced joints respectively. The genetic correlations between the proportion of total lean in each of the higher-priced joints and the proportion of total lean in the higher-priced joints combined were positive. A genetic correlation of 017 (s.e. 0·20) was found for the relationship between average daily gain from birth to slaughter and the proportion of total lean in the higher-priced joints.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 42-42
Author(s):  
Breno Fragomeni ◽  
Zulma Vitezica ◽  
Justine Liu ◽  
Yijian Huang ◽  
Kent Gray ◽  
...  

Abstract The objective of this study was to implement a multi-trait genomic evaluation for maternal and growth traits in a swine population. Phenotypes for preweaning mortality, litter size, weaning weight, and average daily gain were available for 282K Large White pigs. The pedigree included 314k individuals, of which 35,731 were genotyped for 45K SNPs. Variance components were estimated in a multi-trait animal model without genomic information by AIREMLF90. Genomic breeding values were estimated using the genomic information by single-step GBLUP. The algorithm for proven and young (APY) was used to reduce computing time. Genetic correlation between proportion and the total number of preweaning deaths was 0.95. A strong, positive genetic correlation was also observed between weaning weight and average daily gain (r = 0.94). Conversely, the genetic correlations between mortality and growth traits were negative, with an average of -0.7. To avoid computations by expensive threshold models, preweaning mortality was transformed from a binary trait to two linear dam traits: proportion and a total number of piglets dead before weaning. Because of the high genetic correlations within groups of traits, inclusion of only one growth and one mortality trait in the model decreases computing time and allows for the inclusion of other traits. Reduction in computing time for the evaluation using APY was up to 20x, and no differences in EPD ranking were observed. The algorithm for proven and young improves the efficiency of genomic evaluation in swine without harming the quality of predictions. For this population, a binary trait of mortality can be replaced by a linear trait of the dam, resulting in a similar ranking for the selection candidates.


1996 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 1275 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Tholen ◽  
KL Bunter ◽  
S Hermesch ◽  
HU Graser

Data sets from 2 large Australian piggeries were used to estimate genetic parameters for the traits weaning to conception interval (WCIi-l,i) and farrowing interval (FIi-l,i), number born alive (NBAI), average piglet birthweight (BWi), 21-day litter weight (W21i), and sow stayability (STAYli) recorded for each ith parity, as well as sow average daily gain (ADG) and backfat (BF) recorded at the end of performance test. Over parities and herds, heritabilities for each trait were in the ranges: WCI/FI, 0.0-0.10; NBA, 0.09-0.16; BW, 0.11-0.35; W21, 0.12-0.23; STAYli, 0.02-0.09; ADG, 0.35-0.37; BF, 0.36-0.45. Genetic correlations between NBAl and NBA from later parities were significantly different from 1. In addition, in 1 herd negative genetic correlations (rg = -0.04 to -0.25) were found between sow stayability traits and NBA1, but not NBA recorded in later parities. Stayability was Unfavourably correlated with ADG and BF, and favourably correlated with WCI12. However, WCI12 was unfavourably correlated genetically with BF (rg = -0.24) but uncorrelated with ADG. Antagonistic relationships also existed between NBA and BW, NBA and W21, and BW and STAY. In addition to the traditional traits currently included in pig-breeding programs (e.g. ADG, BF, and NBA), traits such as WCI, BW, and STAY should also be considered as selection criteria to minimise the detrimental effects of antagonistic genetic relationships between traits.


2012 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 603-611 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Ghafouri-Kesbi ◽  
H. Baneh

Abstract. The aim of the present study was to estimate (co)variance components and corresponding genetic parameters for birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), 6-month weight (W6), 9-month weight (W9), average daily gain from birth to weaning (WWDG), average daily gain from weaning to 6 months (W6DG) and average daily gain from 6 months to 9 months (W9DG) for a nucleus flock of Iranian Makooei sheep. Genetic parameters were estimated by REML procedure fitting six animal models including various combinations of maternal effects. The Akaike information criterion (AIC) was used to determine the most appropriate model. Estimates of direct heritability (h2) ranged from 0.13 (W6DG) to 0.32 (BW). Maternal effects were found to be important in the growth performance of the Makooei sheep, indicating the necessity of including maternal effects in the model to obtain accurate estimates of direct heritability. Estimates of maternal heritability (m2) ranged from 0.05 (W6) to 0.16 (WWDG) and the estimates of proportion of maternal permanent environmental variance to phenotypic variance (c2) were in the range between 0.05 (BW) and 0.10 (W6). Direct additive genetic correlations were positive in all cases and ranged from 0.00 (BW/W9DG) to 0.99 (WW/WWDG). Phenotypic correlations showed a broad range from −0.27 (WW/W9DG) to 0.99 (WW/WWDG). Estimates of genetic parameters showed that genetic improvement through selection programs is possible. WW would be a suitable selection criterion since it has acceptable direct heritability and relatively high genetic correlation with other traits.


2002 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 481-490
Author(s):  
R. Fischer ◽  
U. Müller ◽  
U. Bergfeld

Abstract. Title of the paper: Genetic association for daily gain (lifetime) in an crossbreeding program The aim of this investigation is an analysis of the crossing structure of a three-race crossing program and the genetic relations with respect to the trait average daily gain. For this purpose we examine the genetic relations for their usefulness for a estimation of genetic parameters and breeding values. Finally a parameter estimation is carried out. The data basis consists of 1757 German Large White performances, 34980 Landrace performances and 2775 Pietrain performances in pure breed as well as 92757 performances of the crossings of the mother lines and altogether 13854 Pietrain crossings (1997 PI x DL and 11857 PI x DEDL). The heritabilities for the variable daily gain are in the range from 0.17 to 0.31. The genetic correlations between the mother races and their crossbreedings are around 0.9. Between the pure Pietrain and the Pietrain crossings these values reach only 0.7. Within the two groups of crossings with Pietrains the genetic correlations are almost one. From the genetic point of view it is possible to put together the mother races and their crossings as well as the Pietrain crossings. Thus, for this trait it is sufficient to consider a three variable model with separate investigation of the mother races, the Pietrains and the Pietrain crossings.


1990 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 425-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. McKAY ◽  
G. W. RAHNEFELD

Heritabilities were estimated for teat number in nine populations of swine over two time periods. From 1962 to 1974 the populations included Lacombe, Yorkshire, and Lacombe × Yorkshire. In this data set, only total teat number was recorded. From 1982 to 1988 three purebred populations (Landrace, Yorkshire, and Hampshire) and three crossbred populations (Landrace-Yorkshire rotation, Landrace × Yorkshire, and Landrace × Hampshire) were represented and total teat number and the number of teats anterior and posterior to the navel were recorded. Heritabilities for total teat number were greater in the 1982–1988 data (ranging from 0.27 to 0.47) than in the 1962–1974 data (ranging from 0.20 to 0.32). The heritability of posterior teat numbers (ranging from 0.08 to 0.39) was generally larger than the heritability of anterior teat numbers (ranging from 0.03 to 0.21) and both were considerably less than the heritability of total teat number. Genetic and phenotypic correlations were calculated for the relationships between anterior and posterior teat numbers (AP), anterior and total teat numbers (AT), and posterior and total teat numbers (PT). The relative magnitudes of the genetic and phenotypic correlations with respect to AP, AT, and PT revealed that selection for increased total teat number would increase the number of anterior and posterior teats. However, the larger genetic correlations for PT relative to AT would lead to a greater increase in posterior teat number than anterior teat number. Key words: Pigs, teat number, heritability, genetic correlation, phenotypic correlation


2000 ◽  
Vol 51 (7) ◽  
pp. 833 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nguyen Hong Nguyen ◽  
Cam P. McPhee ◽  
Claire M. Wade ◽  
Brian G. Luxford

Genetic parameters for performance traits in a pig population were estimated using a multi-trait derivative-free REML algorithm. The 2590 total data included 922 restrictively fed male and 1668 ad libitum fed female records. Estimates of heritability (standard error in parentheses) were 0.25 (0.03), 0.15 (0.03), and 0.30 (0.05) for lifetime daily gain, test daily gain, and P2-fat depth in males, respectively; and 0.27 (0.04) and 0.38 (0.05) for average daily gain and P2-fat depth in females, respectively. The genetic correlation between P2-fat depth and test daily gain in males was –0.17 (0.06) and between P2-fat and lifetime average daily gain in females 0.44 (0.09). Genetic correlations between sexes were 0.71 (0.11) for average daily gain and –0.30 (0.10) for P2-fat depth. Genetic response per standard deviation of selection on an index combining all traits was predicted at $AU120 per sow per year. Responses in daily gain and backfat were expected to be higher when using only male selection than when using only female selection. Selection for growth rate in males will improve growth rate and carcass leanness simultaneously.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 41-41
Author(s):  
Jorge Hidalgo ◽  
Shogo Tsuruta ◽  
Daniela Lourenco ◽  
Yijian Huang ◽  
Kent Gray ◽  
...  

Abstract Genomic selection increases intensity of selection and decreases generation interval. However, intensive selection reduces genetic variation and can strengthen undesirable genetic correlations. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in genetic parameters of litter size (LS), number born alive (NBA), number born dead (NBD) and average daily gain (ADG) and weight at off-test (WT) in pigs over time. The data set contained 20,086 (LS), 21,230 (NBA), 21,230 (NBD), 144,717 (ADG) and 144,718 (WT) phenotypic records. Pedigree file included 369,776 animals born between 2001 and 2018, of which 39,038 were genotyped. Two trait models were evaluated (LS-ADG, LS-WT, NBA-ADG, NBA-WT, NBD-ADG and NBD-WT) using 3-year sliding subsets starting from 2010. Variance components and genetic parameters were estimated using GIBBS2F90 program. Computations were performed with (BLUP) or without (ssGBLUP) genotypes. For BLUP (ssGBLUP), the changes in heritability from 2010–2012 to 2015–2018 were 0.08 to 0.09 (0.08 to 0.06) for LS, 0.33 to 0.24 (0.37 to 0.16) for ADG, 0.11 to 0.07 (0.10 to 0.07) for NBD, and 0.32 to 0.24 (0.38 to 0.17) for WT. Differences were also observed for genetic correlations as they were -0.23 to -0.73 (-0.31 to -0.58) for LS-ADG, -0.24 to -0.74 (-0.31 to -0.50) for LS-WT, -0.33 to -0.65 (-0.41 to -0.53) for NBA-ADG, -0.35 to -0.66 (-0.42 to -0.45) for NBA-WT, 0.12 to 0.04 (0.12 to 0.16) for NBD-ADG, and 0.11 to 0.05 (0.11 to 0.22) for NBD-WT. Genomic selection in pigs reduced heritabilities and emphasized the antagonistic relationship that are under strong selection. Heritabilities estimated from ssGBLUP declined more than those by BLUP while changes in the genetic correlations were smaller and more gradual by ssGBLUP. Differences between ssGBLUP and BLUP could be caused by genomic pre-selection unaccounted for by BLUP.


2011 ◽  
Vol 50 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 96-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Wolf ◽  
E. Žáková ◽  
E. Groeneveld

The covariance structure was estimated by REML for a joint genetic evaluation of production and reproduction traits for Czech Landrace (58 258 records) and Czech Large White (167 161 records) pigs using four-trait animal models. The following traits were analysed: lean mean percentage at the end of the performance test in the field, estimated from ultrasonic measurements unadjusted for live weight (LM), average daily gain in field test (in g/day) calculated as weight at the end of the test divided by age at the end of the test (ADG), number of piglets born alive in parity 1 (NBA1) and number of piglets born alive in parity 2 and subsequent parities (NBA2+). The heritabilities were in the range from 0.30 to 0.37 for LM, from 0.13 to 0.18 for ADG, from 0.09 to 0.13 for NBA1 and from 0.10 to 0.14 for NBA2+, depending on the breed and on the model (herd-year-season random or fixed). Genetic correlations between production and reproduction traits were estimated to be non-zero. Correlations between traits caused by the herd-year-season effect were mostly positive. As a general conclusion, the joint genetic evaluation of production and reproduction traits is recommended. The herd-year-season effect should be preferably considered as random.  


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