Breeding Programs

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Breeding Programs

• AnS 225
• Fall 2009

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1950 - 60s type hog
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1970s type hog
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Late 80s to early 90s
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Today -- Symbol III
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Symbol III
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Production Characteristics

• Feed efficiency 2.4
• Fat free lean gain efficiency 5.9
• Fat free lean gain per day 0.95 lb (0.43 kg)
• Market weight 270 lb (122 kg) in 156 days
• From maternal line weaning gt 25 pigs/year
• Structurally sound

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Carcass Characteristics

• Hot carcass weight 205 lb (93 kg)
• Loin eye 6.5-7.1 sq inch (42-46 sq cm)
• Belly thickness 1.0 inch (2.54 cm)
• 10th rib backfat 0.7 inch (1.8 cm)
• Fat free lean 53.0

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Quality Characteristics

• Visual color score 4.0
• 24 hour pH 5.9
• Maximum drip loss 2.5
• Intramuscular fat 3.0 or more
• Free from stress gene

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Production Goals of Large U.S. Producer

• Yearly Average - Some units/periods will be
  better
• 2.4 litters per year - 25 pigs/sow/year
• Farrowing rate 85
• Pigs born alive 11.0
• Pigs weaned/litter 10.0
• 19 days - 13 lb (5.9 kg)
• 1.7 lb (0.77 kg) daily gain from weaning
• 2.35 feed efficiency

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Swine Breeding Pyramid
Seedstock/Nucleus Level
Gene Flow
Multiplication
Commercial Production
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Know the Industry

• Seedstock Level
• Purebreds, Synthetic Lines or Strains
• Base population for the industry
• Highest level of genetic improvement
• Multiple traits
• Focused, intense selection
• Genetic markers may be used
• Generally few breeders
• Relatively small herds Elite Herds
• Large capital investment

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Commercial Production

• Crossbreeding used extensively
• Heterosis is maximized
• Lines from the multiplication segment crossed
• Focus on the end-product
• Meat and by-products for human consumption
• Production efficiency is critical to success
• Large volume of production
• Large number of producers
• Extensive use of AI to improve genetic
  performance and exploit high-quality sires

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Determining the Mating System

• Seedstock Level
• Pure lines or strains are maintained
• Intense selection for economic traits of interest
• Maternal lines Select sires in top 10, Females
  in top 50
• Terminal lines Select sires in top 10
• Multiplication Level
• Crossing of pure lines or strains
• Combine superior attributes of each breed or line
• Commercial Level
• Crossing of pure lines or strains
• Specific combinations of maternal and terminal
  lines crossed
• Capitalize on Heterosis

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High Lean Sires

• Pietrain
• Very Lean
• Heavy Muscled
• Slow Growth
• Stress Susceptibility is Problem

• Hampshire
• Moderate Growth
• High lean
• Poor water holding capacity
• Napole gene may be present

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Production and Muscle Quality Sires

• Duroc
• Highest growth
• Moderate in fat
• High in lean growth rate
• High feed intake
• Durable breeder
• Meat Quality Breed
• High in intramuscular fat
• Acceptable color
• Tender and flavorful

Red Color (completely recessive)
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Meat Quality Sires

• Berkshire
• Slow growth
• Fat
• Low percent lean
• High Quality Pork
• High ultimate ph
• Tender and juicy
• Dark color
• 100 Pure Berkshire
• High end export market
• Japan
• U.S. white table cloth restaurants

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Primary Maternal Breeds

• Landrace
• High milking ability
• Good maternal instincts
• Good udder quality

• Yorkshire -- Mother Breed
• Litter size is high
• Good milking ability
• Fertility good
• Good udders

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Secondary Maternal Breeds

• Chester White
• Good mothering ability
• Good number born alive
• Tend to be fat
• Slow growing

• Meishan
• Chinese breed
• Highly prolific
• Extremely fat
• Very little muscle

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Terminal Crossbreeding - Maximum Heterosis
X
Grandparent Yorkshire x Landrace
X
Parent Yorkshire x Landrace F1
Market Hogs 1/2 D, 1/4 Y, 1/4 L
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Terminal Crossbreeding - Maximum Heterosis
Great Grandparent Hampshire x Landrace
X
Grandparent Yorkshire x HL F1
X
Parent Duroc x 3-Way Cross YYHL
X
Market Hogs 1/2 D 1/4 Y 1/8 H 1/8 L
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Terminal Crossbreeding - Maximum Heterosis
Great Grandparent Duroc x Landrace
X
X
Grandparent Yorkshire x DL F1
Parent Hamp x 3-Way Cross YYDL
X
Market Hogs 1/2 H 1/4 Y 1/8 D 1/8 L
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Terminal Crossbreeding System

• Heterosis is maximized
• Greater product consistency
• Easier to implement and manage
• Allows best use of specialized sire and dam lines

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3 Breed Rotational CrossYork, Hampshire, Duroc
- 86 Heterosis
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Terminal Crossbred Female

• Goal is to maximize reproduction
• 100 maternal heterosis
• Consider facilities and environment
• Outdoor/large groups -- 25-50 color (Duroc or
  Hamp)
• Inside/crated/small groups -- 0-25 color
• Contributes growth and composition to offspring

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Purchase All Replacements

• Advantages
• Simplest system to manage
• Maximizes terminal production
• Supplier does genetic work
• Disadvantages
• Cost of replacements
• Health risk
• Acclimation period
• Timing of introductions

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Raise Your Own Females

• Advantages
• Lowers health risk
• Reduces acclimation problems
• Possible cost savings
• Disadvantages
• Requires extra management
• Reduces terminal production
• Requires evaluation and selection
• Genetic merit of females?

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Requirements for Within-Herd Production of Females

• Willingness and desire
• Management ability
• GP/GGP females are more difficult to manage
• Requires identification of all females
• Requires evaluation and selection program
• Must manage production and supply
• Evaluation of cost and benefit

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Rotaterminal Crossbreeding System
15 of herd
85 of herd
Terminal boars
Crossbred females
Landrace boars
All pigs go to market
Crossbred females
Crossbred females
Yorkshire boars
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Advantages of Rota-Terminal System

• Purchase startup females once
• Health advantages of raising your own gilts
• Suitable for AI
• 100 heterosis in market pig
• Maternal heterosis
• 86 (3-breed maternal cross)
• 67 (2-breed maternal cross)

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Setting a Breeding Goal

• Determine your expected outcome
• Profit in the swine industry is the result of
  highly productive females producing fast growing,
  efficient pigs that produce high-quality meat
• The Breeding Goal defines which traits to select
  for and the genetic information needed to build
  the herd

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Decide Which Traits to Select

• Understand the Economic Value of traits
• Determine how to maximize genetic response
• Heritability Variation due to Genes
• Environment Variation due to Non-genetic
  factors
• Nutrition
• Health
• Facilities
• Management
• Understand how to select superior animals for
  traits of interest

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Economic Value of Traits
NSIF and NPPC
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Economic Value of Traits
NSIF and NPPC
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Reproductive Traits

• Fertility
• Litter size born and weaned
• Longevity
• Breed and rebreed for multiple parities
• Structural soundness
• Milk Production
• Litter weight

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Reproduction and Longevity

• Too frequently the breeding herd has difficulty
  with structural soundness and movement
• Dont compromise soundness
• Culling rates will go up
• Sow death rate will go up
• Performance goes down

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Performance Traits

• Growth Rate
• Days to 250 lbs (114 kg)
• Feed Efficiency
• Pounds (kg) of feed per Pound (kg) of gain
• Health Status

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Carcass Traits

• Backfat Depth
• Muscle
• Loin Ham

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Meat Quality
DFD
PSE
RFN
Marbling Scores
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Consumer Traits
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Present your product to its Best Advantage

• Seedstock Supplier
• Document your breeding program
• Goals and objectives
• Traits under selection
• Genetic trends for traits under selection

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Present your product to its Best Advantage

• Commercial Producer
• Product Focused Meet the Packer, Processor and
  Consumer needs

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Efficient Production of High Quality Pork Products