THE INFLUENCE OF PERFORMANCE TEST DURATION AND SELECTION INTENSITY IN SWINE EVALUATION PROGRAMS

1983 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 741-750
Author(s):  
A. P. SATHER

The problem of optimizing the use of limited test station facilities was considered in terms of varying performance test duration and intensity of selection using part-record genetic parameters for feed conversion ratio (FCR) and average daily gain (ADG). Average backfat (ABF) was limited to the market weight period. Full test duration, based on 396 Lacombe barrows and gilts was 88.5 days with FCR of 2.96, ADG of 0.84 kg/day, and ABF of 19.4 mm at a market weight of 93 kg. Proportions saved (p) of tested animals based on the whole record were 0.10, 0.25 and 0.50. As test station capacity was increased by reducing test duration, p was decreased such that a constant number of animals would be retained within each level of selection intensity. Optimum test period for FCR, ADG and index selection all coincided with the same test period. However, as p increased from 0.10 to 0.50, the optimum on test weight increased from 52 kg to 65 kg with a similar corresponding increase in on-test age from 98 days to 112 days. The test terminated at market weight. Gains in efficiency were 12%, 23% and 50% for index selection when the test period began at 52 kg, for p of 0.10, 0.25 and 0.50, respectively. Since very efficient animals would be near market weight by the on-test age of 98 days, test periods defined in terms of constant weight, rather than constant age, were deemed most suitable. Other limitations to the model and use of part-record selection procedures were discussed. Key words: Swine, part records, performance evaluation, station testing

2005 ◽  
Vol 21 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 69-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milan Mijatovic ◽  
Milica Petrovic ◽  
Dragan Radojkovic ◽  
Zivan Jokic

The main objective of this study was to investigate the importance of the sires effect on fenotypic variability of production traits of performance tested boars of Large White, Landrace. and Hampshire breeds of pig. The data used in this study were collected from 738 performance tested young boars at the PKB Pig Testing Station in Padinska Skela, from 1995 to 2001. Analysed traits were initial age (IA), final age (FA), test duration (TD), average daily gain on test (ADG), lifetime ADG (LADG), amount of total consumed feed (TF), feed conversion ratio (FCR), daily feed intake (DPI) and body composition traits taken by ultrasonic equipment PIGLOG 105 (backfat thickness - BF1 and BF2, muscle depth - MD and lean meat content - LM) Data was analysed by fixed models of least squares method. Analysis of variance showed that sires nested within Hampshire breed highly significant influenced all investigated traits. Growth, feed efficiency and body composition traits except muscle depth, were highly significant influenced by sires of Large White breed. All feed efficiency traits and muscle depth were not influenced by sires within Swedish Landrace breed.


1999 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. Hall ◽  
W. G. Hill ◽  
P. R. Bampton ◽  
A. J. Webb

AbstractThe data used in these analyses were compiled from individual feeding records of 1832 pigs from 70 sire families using FIRE (food intake recording equipment) system from Hunday Electronics Ltd at the Cotswold Pig Development Company. Pigs were on test between 45 (s.d. 2·76) kg and 95 (s.d. 6·78) kg. Daily food intake (DFI kg), food intake per visit (FlV kg), number of visits per day (NV), duration of each visit (TV min), time in the feeder per day (TD min), feeding rate (FR kg/min) and number of non-feeding visits per day (NFV), were measured as means of test and DFI was also recorded as means of bi-weekly periods of test. Performance test traits ofbackfat depth off test (BF mm), food conversion ratio (ECR kg/kg) and average daily gain (ADG kg), over the test period, were also measured.Parameters were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood with a multivariate individual animal model. DFI had a heritability of 0·21 ranging from 0·18 to 0·26 over the four test periods. Correlations between DFI in each test period were high (rg = 0·75 to 0·99). DFI was highly correlated with performance test traits (0·61 to 0·78) but had low correlations with feeding pattern traits (0·0 to 0·24). The heritabilities of feeding pattern traits were low (0·06 to 0·11) with the exception of FIV (0·27) and NV (0·34) but correlations between feeding pattern traits were high. FIV, NV and TV were moderately correlated with ADG (rg = 0·49, -0·29, 0·33 respectively), BF (rg = 0·35, -0·15, 0·17 respectively) and ECR (rg = -0·12, 0·31, -0·27 respectively). Feeding patterns may be changed substantially by selection and the genetic correlations with performance test traits indicate that feeding patterns traits can be usefully incorporated in selection criteria to improve somewhat the accuracy of selection.


2011 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 301-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
André Michel de Castilhos ◽  
Renata Helena Branco ◽  
Alexander George Razook ◽  
Sarah Figueiredo Martins Bonilha ◽  
Maria Eugênia Zerlotti Mercadante ◽  
...  

This study was conducted to determine optimum test duration for measuring performance, feed intake and feed efficiency. Sixty young Nellore bulls were submitted to feeding performance test and fed in individual pens to determine feed intake and performance over 112 days. Body weight was determined every 28 days, after fasting of water and feed for 16 hours. Changes in variance, relative variance and Pearson and Spearman correlations among data from shortened test periods (28, 56 and 84 days) and full test period (112 days) were used to determine optimum test duration. Test duration for average daily gain, dry matter intake, feed:gain ratio and residual feed intake could be shortened to 84, 28, 84 and 84 days, respectively, without reducing significantly the reliability of measurements for animals fed in individual pens.


2000 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 451-462
Author(s):  
S. Karsten ◽  
R. Röhe ◽  
V. Schulze ◽  
H. Looft ◽  
E. Kalm

Abstract. Title of the paper. Genetic association between individual feed intake during Performance test and reproductions traits in pigs The present study deals with the estimation of genetic correlations between Performance test traits measured in boars and reproduction traits of their offspring (sibs) of two purebred lines. Performance traits were individual feed intake (FI) recorded by electronic feeder, feed conversion ratio (FCR), average daily gain (ADG) and backfat thickness (BF). Reproduction traits were number of total piglets born (NBT) and born alive (NBA) Data of 4869 young boars, Performance tested between April 1992 and May 1997 and data of 9710 primiparous sows farrowed between June 1994 to November 1998, were observed. Heritabilities of Performance traits recorded on Station were in line 03 (line 04) h2 = 0.24 (0.33), 0.33 (0.33), 0.23 (0.32) and 0.47 (0.53) for FI, ADG FCR and BF, respectively. Heritabilities of reproduction traits such as NBT, NBA were in line 03 (line 04) h2 = 0 05 (0.08) and 0.05 (0.06), respectively. Genetic correlation between individual feed intake and reproduction traits ranged between rg = 0.12 and 0.27. Undesirable genetic correlations were found between reproduction traits and feed efficiency (rg = 0.13 to 0.44), backfat thickness (rg = 0.07 to 0.25) and partly average daily gain (rg = −010 to 0.09). Line 04 showed lowest magnitude of feed intake and highest genetic antagonism between production and reproduction traits. It is suggested that feed intake capacity is a limiting factor for reproduction in line 04 and genetic antagonism between production and reproduction traits increases with reduction in feed intake.


2006 ◽  
Vol 22 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 97-108
Author(s):  
Milan Mijatovic ◽  
Milica Petrovic ◽  
Dragan Radojkovic ◽  
Milovan Pusic

The basic goal of these investigations was to reconsider the hypothesis that year is an important factor which statistically affects phenotypic variability of production traits registered in performance test under conditions of a central test station and make decision to include this effect in models for estimation of phenotypic and genetic parameters which are needed for the genetic evaluation. The investigations were carried out over a seven year period (from 1995 to 2001) in the Station for testing of production capacities of swine at Agricultural Corporation "Beograd" in Padinska Skela. The examinations included a total of 738 tested animals of following breeds: Swedish Landrace, Large White and Hampshire. All three breeds were analyzed together because number of tested boars of Swedish Landrace and Hampshire breed was too small in comparison to the Large White breed. The least squares method was used to test the significance of the effects of year on variability of production traits. Test of significance showed that the year at the start of the test influenced (P<0.001) all feed efficiency traits and all growth traits except test duration and average daily gain. The body composition traits were significantly influenced (P<0.01 and P<0.001) by year except muscle depth. However, it was not expected that the body weight at the start of the test and at the end of the test was influenced (P<0.05 and P<0.001) by year at the start of the test. The weight at the start and at the end of the test must stay within strict limits proposed by the testing rules. These investigations showed that effect of year should be included in the models that are used to estimate of phenotypic and genetic parameters which are needed for the genetic evaluation of boars tested under conditions of the central station.


1987 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
pp. 623-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. W. KENNEDY ◽  
M. QUINTON

Data from the Canadian Swine Genetic Evaluation Program for Yorkshire and Landrace pigs born between July 1982 and December 1984 were used to compare herds of different health classification (basic, good and excellent) for environmental and genetic levels and annual rates of environmental and genetic change in days and backfat thickness to 90 kg. There were 35 basic, 34 good and 20 excellent herds represented. Environmental differences between excellent and basic herds were −7.2 ± 3.0 d and 0.72 ± 0.31 mm backfat and between excellent and good herds were −5.3 ± 3.0 d and 0.87 ± 0.31 mm backfat. Faster growth rate in the excellent environment was accompanied by increased fatness. Genetic differences between excellent and basic herds were 1.2 ± 0.4 d and −0.45 ± 0.12 mm backfat and between excellent and good herds were 0.1 ± 0.4 d and −0.30 ± 0.12 mm backfat. Selection differentials were greatest for backfat and least for days in excellent herds and vice versa in basic herds. Rates of genetic change in days to 90 kg were equal across health classification, but excellent herds had greater rates of genetic improvement in backfat than basic or good herds. Data were also obtained from the New Hamburg, Ontario test station on boars that completed performance test between 1984 and 1985. Health classification of herd of origin had no effect on performance of boars for average daily gain or feed conversion at the test station. Effects of health classification of herd of origin on backfat were significant (P < 0.05), but reflected genetic differences between these types of herds rather than carry over environmental effects. However, the percentage that failed to complete the station test was 11.5 for boars from excellent herds, compared to 9.9 and 8.1 for boars from basic and good herds, respectively (P < 0.10). Key words: Health environment, genetic level, test station, backfat, growth rate, selection


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1581
Author(s):  
Artur Rybarczyk ◽  
Elżbieta Bogusławska-Wąs ◽  
Alicja Dłubała

The objective of the study was to determine the effects of probiotic bacteria Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus subtilis on microbiological properties of feed mixtures and on the digestive tract content as applicable to production traits and carcass characteristics of fatteners. The experiment was performed on 83,838 fatteners from four successive (insertions) productions in two groups. From the seventy eighth day of age till marketing to the slaughter plant, the pigs were supplied with BioPlus YC probiotic (Chr. Hansen) in the amount of 400 g/t. The preparation contained a complex of probiotic bacteria Bacillus licheniformis DSM 5749, and Bacillus subtilis DSM 5750 spores in a 1:1 ratio. From the fourth insertion, after reaching a body weight of approximately 112 kg, 60 fatteners were selected from each group to measure carcass quality and half of them for meat quality evaluation. Moreover, microbiological analyses in feed and colon were performed. The study showed that BioPlus YC probiotics supplementation resulted in a significantly higher count of B. subtilis and B. licheniformis in the feed, a higher count of B. subtilis, B. licheniformis and LAB, as well as a lower count of Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus, Clostridium and Bacillus sp. in the mucosa and in the colorectal content of the test pigs. Our work has shown that supplementation with the BioPlus YC probiotic had a positive effect on the production traits of pigs mainly by reducing mortality (2.83%, p = 0.010), lowering feed conversion ratio—FCR (2.59 kg/kg, p = 0.013), better average daily gain—ADG (0.95 kg/day, p = 0.002) and shorter fattening period (77.25 days, p = 0.019) when compared to the control group (4.19%; 2.79 kg/kg; 0.89 kg/day; 92.8 days, respectively). The addition of the specific Bacillus bacteria did not influence carcass and meat characteristics of the test fatteners.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1626
Author(s):  
Shenfei Long ◽  
Tengfei He ◽  
Sung Woo Kim ◽  
Qinghui Shang ◽  
Tadele Kiros ◽  
...  

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary LY or LY combined with ZnO supplementation on performance and gut health in nursery pigs. 192 Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire piglets (weaned on d 32 of the age with 9.2 ± 1.7 kg BW) were allocated into four treatments with eight replicate pens, six piglets per pen. The treatments included a basal diet as control (CTR), an antibiotic plus ZnO diet (CTC-ZnO, basal diet + 75 mg/kg of chlortetracycline + ZnO (2000 mg/kg from d 1 to 14, 160 mg/kg from d 15 to 28)), a LY diet (LY, basal diet + 2 g/kg LY), and a LY plus ZnO diet (LY-ZnO, basal diet + 1 g/kg LY + ZnO). The results showed that pigs fed LY or LY-ZnO had increased (p < 0.05) average daily gain, serum IgA, IgG, superoxide dismutase, fecal butyric acid, and total volatile fatty acid concentrations, as well as decreased (p < 0.05) feed conversion ratio and diarrhea rate compared with CTR. In conclusion, pigs fed diets with LY or LY combined with ZnO had similar improvement to the use of antibiotics and ZnO in performance, antioxidant status, immunoglobulins, and gut health in nursery pigs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Mehling ◽  
Alexandra Henao-Diaz ◽  
Jeremy Maurer ◽  
Ed Kluber ◽  
Rachel Stika ◽  
...  

Modern commercial pig production is a complex process that requires successful producers to understand and resolve factors associated with perturbations in production. One important perturbation is inventory loss due to mortality. In this study, data on 60 lots of approximately 2000 weaned pigs (n = 115,213) from one commercial production system were collected through the wean-to-finish (WTF) cycle with the objective of establishing patterns of mortality, estimating differences in profit/loss among patterns of mortality, and identifying production practices associated with mortality patterns. Information provided by the production system included the number of pigs in each lot at the time of placement (beginning inventory), weaning weight, barn dimensions, number of dead pigs (NDP) daily, capacity placed (proportion pigs actually placed versus what had been planned to be placed) and average weight sold. Analysis of NDP revealed three mortality patterns (clusters I, II, III) composed of 6, 40, and 14 lots, respectively, that differed in the temporal onset and/or level of mortality. Average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated by growth phase for each cluster. An economic model showed profit differences among clusters due to poor biological performance by clusters I and III in the late finishing phase. Cluster II (n = 40) had fewer dead pigs and the highest profit compared to clusters I (n = 6) and III (n = 14). Area per pig (stocking density) was the only factor associated with the differences in mortality patterns. Routine monitoring and the analysis of mortality patterns for associations with production and management factors can help swine producers improve biological performance and improve profit.


1967 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. W. Holme ◽  
W. E. Coey

A trial designed to investigate the effects of two environmental temperatures, three feeding regimes and the interactions between them is described. A temperature of 72° F. was better than one of 54° F. for bacon pigs between 40 lb. and 200 lb. weight. The higher temperature resulted in faster growth, more efficient feed conversion and increased length of carcass. Other carcass characteristics were not significantly altered. Ad libitum feeding resulted in faster growth and fatter carcasses than restricted feeding, but did not have a significant effect on efficiency of feed conversion. When feed intake was restricted, feeding pigs once daily or twice daily resulted in similar performance and carcass composition.There was a significant interaction between environmental temperature and feeding method for average daily gain in that pigs fed ad libitum grew faster at the low temperature and pigs fed restricted amounts of feed grew faster at the high temperature. No other interaction reached significant levels.


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