Estimation of genetic parameters for farrowing traits in purebred Landrace and Large White pigs

Genetic parameters were estimated for six reproductive traits related to farrowing events in Landrace and Large White pigs; total number born (TNB), number born alive (NBA), number stillborn (NSB), total litter weight at birth (LWB), mean litter weight at birth (MWB), and gestation length (GL). We analyzed 62,534 farrowing records for 10,637 Landrace dams and 49,817 farrowing records for 8,649 Large White dams. Estimated heritabilities of TNB, NBA, NSB, LWB, MWB, and GL by single‐trait repeatability model analyses were 0.12, 0.12, 0.08, 0.18, 0.19, and 0.29, respectively, in Landrace, and 0.12, 0.10, 0.08, 0.18, 0.16, and 0.34, respectively, in Large White. Genetic correlation between NBA and NSB was unfavorable: 0.20 in Landrace and 0.33 in Large White. Genetic correlations of GL with the other five traits were weak: from ?0.18 with NSB to ?0.03 with NBA in Landrace, and from ?0.22 with NSB to ?0.07 with NBA in Large White. LWB had a highly favorable genetic correlation with NBA (0.74 in both breeds), indicating the possibility of using LWB for the genetic improvement of NBA.     

Comparison of two models to estimate genetic parameters for number of born alive in pigs

The performance of the two‐trait animal model that regards the first parity and later parities as two different traits in estimating genetic parameters for number of born alive (NBA) was examined using real and simulated data. Genetic parameters for NBA were estimated in purebred Landrace and Large White pigs using a single‐trait repeatability model (Model 1) that regards all parities as the same trait and a two‐trait animal model (Model 2) that regards the first and the later parities as different traits. For Model 2, the permanent environmental effect was fitted to only the records of the later parities. Heritability for NBA estimated using Model 1 was 0.12 for Landrace and 0.11 for Large White. Estimated heritability for NBA of the first parity and the later parities was 0.21 and 0.16, respectively, for Landrace; 0.18 and 0.16, respectively, for Large White obtained using Model 2, and higher than those in both breeds obtained using Model 1. Further results based on data simulated using the Monte Carlo method suggest that estimated additive genetic variance could be more biased using Model 2 than Model 1.     

Genetic parameter estimation for number born alive at different parities in Landrace and Large White pigs

We estimated genetic parameters for number born alive (NBA) from the first to the seventh parities in Landrace and Large White pigs using three models. Analyzing 55,160 farrowing records for 12,677 Landrace dams and 43,839 for 10,405 Large White dams, we used a single‐trait animal model to estimate the heritability of NBA at each parity and a two‐trait animal model and a single‐trait random regression model to estimate the genetic correlations between parities. Heritability estimates of NBA at each parity ranged from 0.08 to 0.13 for Landrace and from 0.05 to 0.16 for Large White. Estimated genetic correlations between parities in all cases were positive. Genetic correlations between the first and second parities were slightly lower than those between other neighboring parities. Genetic correlations between more distant parities tended to be lower, in some cases <0.8. The results indicate the necessity to investigate the applicability of evaluating NBA at different parities as different traits (e.g., the first and later parities), although a repeatability model might still be reasonable.     

四川省外种猪雌激素受体基因对繁殖和生长性状的影响

本试验以四川省外种母猪的 3个品种 (大约克、长白、杜洛克 )为研究对象 ,采用PCR RFLPs的方法检测其ESR基因的PvuⅡ多态性 ,分析了该基因与产仔数及生长性状之间的关系。结果表明 :初产胎次中 ,ESR基因型间总产仔数 (TNB)和产活仔数 (NBA)差异极显著 (P <0 .0 1) ,BB和AA纯合子间TNB和NBA分别相差 5 .97和 3.72头 ,基因加性效应分别为每个B基因 2 .98和 1.86头 ;对于经产胎次 ,总产仔数 (TNB)在AA、AB基因型与BB基因型的差异达到 0 .0 1的极显著水平 ,产活仔数 (NBA)在AA基因型与BB基因型间显著差异 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,TNB和NBA母猪每窝BB纯合子比AA纯合子分别多 3.6 8和 2 .89头 ,基因的加性效应为每个B基因分别为 1.84和 1.4 4头。头胎和经产胎次中ESR基因型在初生窝重、2 0日龄头数和窝重、30 / 4 5日龄头数和窝重以及 70日龄窝重之间的差异普遍不显著 (P >0 .0 5 ) ,但是以上 6个性状在ESR基因的 3种基因型间存在BB >AB >AA的趋势     

大白猪、长白猪和杜洛克猪催乳素受体基因多态性及其与繁殖性能的关系

本试验通过PCR-RFLP技术对大白猪、长白猪和杜洛克猪的催乳素受体(prolactin receptor,PRLR)基因第10外显子AluⅠ酶切位点进行多态性分析,并对各基因型母猪的第1至第3胎次产仔数、产活仔数、断奶仔猪数、初生窝重、21日龄窝重及断奶成活率进行测定,进而分析PRLR基因多态性与繁殖性能的关系。结果表明,PRLR基因在3个品种中均存在多态位点,且AA基因型都是其优势基因型。关联分析结果表明,大白猪AA基因型个体第1、2和3胎各繁殖性状均呈现出高于AB和BB基因型的趋势。在繁殖性能已经稳定的第3胎次AA基因型个体产仔数、产活仔数、断奶仔猪数、初生窝重及断奶成活率比BB基因型个体平均分别高出0.31头、0.63头、0.02头、0.65 kg和0.43%,但差异均不显著(P>0.05)。     

四川省外种猪ESR基因对繁殖及生长性状的影响

试验以四川省外种母猪的 3个品种 (大约克、长白、杜洛克 )为研究对象 ,采用PCR -RFLps的方法测其ESR基因的PvuⅡ多态性 ,分析了该产仔数及生长性状之间的关系。结果表明 :初产胎次中 ,ESR基因型间总产仔数 (TNB)和产活仔数 (NBA)差异极显著 (P <0 0 1 ) ,BB和AA纯合子间TNB和NBA分别相差 5 97和 3 72头 ,基因加性效应分别应为每个B基因 2 98和 1 86头。对于经产胎次 ,总产仔数在AA ,AB基因与BB基因型的差异达到极显著水平 (P <0 0 1 ) ,产活仔数在AA基因型与BB基因型间差异显著 (P <0 0 5 ) ,TNB和NBA母猪每窝BB纯合子比AA纯合子分别多 3 6 8和 2 89头 ,基因的加性效应为每个B基因分别为 1 83和 1 4 4头。头胎和经产胎次ESR基因型在初生窝重、2 0日龄头数和窝重、30或 4 5日龄头数和窝重以及 70日龄窝重之间的差异不显著 (P >0 0 5 ) ;但是以上 6个性状在ESR基因的 3种基因型间存在BB >AB >AA的趋势     

Selection for litter size at day five to improve litter size at weaning and piglet survival rate

Selection for total number of piglets born (TNB) since 1992 has led to a significant increase in this trait in Danish Landrace and Danish Yorkshire but has also been accompanied by an increase in piglet mortality. The objective of this study was to estimate the genetic and phenotypic parameters for litter size and survival to find alternative selection criteria to improve litter size at weaning. Data from Landrace (9,300 litters) and Yorkshire (6,861 litters) were analyzed using REML based on a linear model including genetic effects of sow and service-sire. The estimates of heritability (based on the sow component) for TNB, number born alive (NBA), and number alive at d 5 after birth (N5D) and at weaning (about 3 wk, N3W) ranged from 0.066 to 0.090 in Landrace and 0.050 to 0.070 in Yorkshire. Genetic correlations between TNB and N3W were 0.289 in Landrace and 0.561 in Yorkshire, but between N5D and N3W the estimated genetic correlation was 0.995 in both populations. The approximate estimates of heritability for survival rate per litter at birth (SVB = NBA/TNB), from birth to d 5 (SV5 = N5D/NBA), and from d 5 to weaning (SVW = N3W/N5D) were 0.130, 0.131, and 0.023, respectively, in Landrace, and 0.095, 0.043, and 0.009, respectively, in Yorkshire. Genetic correlations between TNB and survival rates at different stages were negative. On the other hand, genetic correlations between N5D and survival rates and between N3W and survival rates were strongly or moderately positive, except for the correlations with SVW in Yorkshire. The results suggest that selection for N5D could be an interesting alternative to improve litter size at weaning and piglet survival for Danish Landrace and Danish Yorkshire.     

应用BLUP方法对猪繁殖性状和生长性状遗传评估的研究

【目的】估计杜洛克猪(Duroc,DD)、长白猪(Landrace,LL)、大白猪(Yorkshire,YY)繁殖性状和生长性状的遗传参数,分析不同年份育种值变化的遗传趋势,为制定合理的育种方案提供理论依据。【方法】以杜洛克猪、长白猪、大白猪繁殖性状和生长性状的性能测定数据为研究材料,其中繁殖性状数据10 963条,包括总产仔数(total number born,TNB)、产活仔数(number born alive,NBA)、出生窝重(litter born weight,LBW)和21日龄窝重(litter weight at 21 days,LW21);生长性状数据25 257条,包括达100 kg体重日龄(age at 100 kg live weight,AGE)和达100 kg体重背膘厚(backfat adjusted to 100 kg,BF)。采用基于动物模型的最佳线性无偏预测(best linear unbiased prediction,BLUP)方法,使用ASReml统计分析软件进行遗传力、遗传相关和育种值估计。【结果】TNB、NBA和LBW的遗传力在0.08~0.20之间,LW21的遗传力在0.02~0.05之间;AGE和BF的遗传力在0.22~0.37之间。繁殖性状TNB、NBA、LBW、LW21的遗传相关系数总体分布在0.20~0.97之间,呈中等偏上正相关;生长性状AGE和BF的遗传相关系数分布在-0.07~-0.03之间,呈微弱的负相关。杜洛克猪繁殖性状的遗传趋势上升幅度较大,长白猪、大白猪繁殖性状的遗传趋势上升幅度较小;生长性状中AGE的遗传趋势均呈下降趋势,且下降幅度较大,BF的遗传趋势变化幅度较小。【结论】本研究对杜洛克猪、长白猪、大白猪繁殖性状和生长性状的遗传参数和遗产趋势进行了准确的评估,结果可为该育种场的育种工作提供参考。     

Selection potential of different prolificacy traits in the finnish landrace and large white populations

Heritabilities and genetic correlations for different prolificacy traits were estimated to assess possibilities of selection for high number of piglets weaned. Three litter-size traits: total number of piglets born (TNB), number of piglets born alive (NBA), number of piglets weaned (NW); four piglet survival traits: number of stillborn piglets (NSB), percent of stillborn piglets (NSB%), piglet mortality between birth and weaning (PM), percent of dead piglets during suckling (PM%); and three traits measuring time intervals: age at first farrowing (AFF), first farrowing interval (FFI), and gestation length (GL) were analysed. The Finnish national litter recording scheme provided data on the first parity litters of 11 329 Landrace and 8 362 Large White pigs born between 1986 and 2000. The heritabilitiy estimates were moderate for AFF and GL (0.24–0.37), and low for all the other traits (0.03–0.11). The genetic correlations between TNB and PM (0.68 in Landrace and 0.43 in Large White) and between NBA and PM (0.64 in Landrace and 0.31 in Large White) suggest that selection only for high TNB or NBA will lead to increased PM. The results showed further that GL will increase indirectly if the selection pressure is for low PM (r _g =?0.050 in Landrace and ?0.43 in Large White.     

Genome-wide association study of swine farrowing traits. Part I: Genetic and genomic parameter estimates

The primary objective of this study was to determine genetic and genomic parameters among swine (Sus scrofa) farrowing traits. Genetic parameters were obtained using MTDFREML. Genomic parameters were obtained using GENSEL. Genetic and residual variances obtained from MTDFREML were used as priors for the Bayes C analysis of GENSEL. Farrowing traits included total number born (TNB), number born alive (NBA), number born dead (NBD), number stillborn (NSB), number of mummies (MUM), litter birth weight (LBW), and average piglet birth weight (ABW). Statistically significant heritabilities included TNB (0.09, P = 0.048), NBA (0.09, P = 0.041), LBW (0.20, P = 0.002), and ABW (0.26, P < 0.0001). Statistically significant genetic correlations included TNB-NBA (0.97, P < 0.0001), TNB-LBW (0.74, P < 0.0001), NBA-LBW (0.56, P < 0.0017), NSB-LBW (0.87, P < 0.0395), and LBW-ABW (0.63, P < 0.0002). Genetic parameters are similar to others found in the literature. The proportion of phenotypic variance explained by genomic markers (GP) generated by GENSEL was TNB (0.04), NBA (0.06), NBD (0.00), NSB (0.01), MUM (0.00), LBW (0.11), and ABW (0.31). Limited information is available in the literature about genomic parameters. Only the GP estimate for NSB is significantly lower than what has been published. The GP estimate for ABW is greater than the estimate for heritability found in this study. Other traits with significant heritability had GP estimates half the value of heritability. This research indicates that significant genetic markers will be found for TNB, NBA, LBW, and ABW that will have either immediate use in industry or provide a roadmap to further research with fine mapping or sequencing of areas of significance. Furthermore, these results indicate that genomic selection implemented at an early age would have similar annual progress as traditional selection, and could be incorporated along with traditional selection procedures to improve genetic progress of litter traits.     

Multivariate analysis of litter size for multiple parities with production traits in pigs: I. Bayesian variance component estimation

A total of 66,620 records from the first six parities for number of piglets born alive (NBA) from 20,120 Landrace sows and 24,426 records for weight (WT) and backfat thickness (BT) at 175 d of age were analyzed to estimate genetic parameters. The pedigree consisted of 47,186 individuals, including 392 sires and 5,394 dams. Estimates were based on marginal posterior distribution of the genetic parameters obtained using Bayesian inference implemented via the Gibbs sampling procedure with a Data Augmentation step. The posterior means and posterior standard deviation (PSD) for heritability of NBA ranged from 0.064 (PSD 0.005) in the first parity to 0.146 (PSD 0.019) in the sixth parity, always increasing with the order of the parity. The posterior means for genetic correlations of litter size between adjacent parities were, in most cases, greater than 0.80. However, genetic correlation were much lower between nonadjacent parities. For example, the genetic correlation was 0.534 (PSD 0.061) between the fourth and the sixth parity for NBA. The posterior means of heritability for WT and BT were 0.229 (PSD 0.018) and 0.350 (PSD 0.019), respectively. Posterior mean for genetic correlation between WT and BT was 0.339 (PSD 0.044). The posterior means for genetic correlation between production (WT and BT) and reproduction traits (NBA in different parities) were close to zero in most cases. Results from this study suggest that different parities should be considered as different traits. Moreover, selection for growth and backfat should result in no or very little correlated response in litter size.     

Estimation of genetic parameters for reproductive traits in connectedness groups of Duroc,Landrace and Yorkshire pigs in China

The objective of this study was to estimate group- and breed-specific genetic parameters for reproductive traits in Chinese Duroc, Landrace, and Yorkshire populations. Records for reproductive traits between April 1998 and December 2017 from 92 nucleus pig breeding farms, which were involved in the China Swine Genetic Improvement Program, were analysed. Due to weak genetic connectedness across all farms, connectedness groups consisting of related farms were used. Three, two and four connectedness groups for Duroc, Landrace and Yorkshire were firstly established according to the genetic connectedness rating among farms. For each connectedness group a five-trait animal model was implemented, and via restricted maximum likelihood procedure the genetic parameters were estimated for five reproductive traits i.e., total number born (TNB), number born alive (NBA), litter weight at farrowing (LWF), farrowing interval (FI) and age at first farrowing (AFF). The average of heritabilities among connectedness groups ranged from .01 (for FI in Yorkshire) to .30 (for AFF in Duroc). Estimates of repeatability for litter traits ranged from .14 to .20 and were consistent for each breed, and for FI, the estimates varied from .01 to .11 across breeds and groups. The estimated genetic correlations among litter traits (i.e., TNB, NBA and LWF) were all significantly high (>.56) and similar across breeds. Averaged genetic correlations over three breeds were −.25, −.27, −.18, −.04, −.10, −.02, and .28 for FI-TNB, FI-NBA, FI-LWF, AFF-TNB, AFF-NBA, AFF-LWF and FI-AFF, respectively. The standard errors of the estimates were all very low (<0.01) in most situations. Results from this study suggest that selection based on TNB which is currently used in dam line selection index can improve NBA and LWF simultaneously. However, care should be taken on FI and AFF as they are both greatly influenced by non-genetic factors such as management and measurement.     

大白猪、长白猪和杜洛克猪RBP4基因多态性及其与繁殖性能的相关分析

本试验通过PCR-RFLP技术对大白猪、长白猪和杜洛克猪的视黄醇结合蛋白4(retinol binding protein 4,RBP4)基因第4外显子Msp Ⅰ酶切位点进行多态性分析,并对各基因型母猪的第2、3胎次产仔数、产活仔数、断奶仔猪数、初生窝重、21日龄的窝重及断奶成活率进行测定,进而分析RBP4基因多态性与繁殖性能的关系。结果表明,RBP4基因在3个品种中均存在多态位点;χ²适合性检验表明大白猪在该位点偏离Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态(P<0.05),而长白猪和杜洛克猪在该位点处于Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态(P>0.05)。其中,大白猪中优势基因型为BB基因型,而长白猪和杜洛克猪中优势基因型为AA基因型。在繁殖性能上,长白猪BB基因型群体第2胎总产仔数、产活仔数、断奶仔猪数、初生窝重、21日龄断奶窝重分别高于AA基因型0.97头、1.28头、0.92头、1.74 kg和4.42 kg,高于AB基因型0.92头、1.02头、0.98头、1.43 kg和4.98 kg;第3胎次中总体上BB基因型也为有利基因型。     

Effect of RNF4-SacII gene polymorphism on reproductive traits of Landrace × Large White crossbred sows

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether and to what extent the RNF4-SacII gene polymorphism influences reproduction performances in hyperprolific sow lines. The study involved 101 Landrace x Large White crossbred sows, with 461 records collected on the following reproductive traits: Total Number of piglets Born per litter (TNB), Number of piglets Born Alive per litter (NBA), Number of StillBorn piglets per litter (NSB), piglet Pre-Weaning Mortality (PWM) and Number of piglets at Weaning per litter (NW). The least square method with the GLM procedure in SAS with eight effects was used to pursue the data analysis. Study results revealed that TT homozygotes and TC heterozygotes had a significantly higher (p < .05) NW than CC homozygotes for the life-span performance in all parities and first parity analysed. In the fourth parity analysed, TNB and NBA in TC genotype were significantly higher (p < .05) as compared with TT genotype. Based on the life-span performance, significant effect (p < .05) was recorded for order of parity on TNB, NBA and NW, for farrowing season on TNB and NSB, and for lactation length on PWM. In the second parity, significant effect (p < .05) was recorded for sire of boar on NSB and for gestation length on TNB. Only in the fourth parity, significant effect (p < .05) of RNF4 gene was observed on NBA. There was significant additive effect (p < .05) of the RNF4 gene polymorphism identified on NW in all parities analysed, and significant additive and dominance effects (p < .05) on NSB in the third parity analysed. In conclusion, additional research on related production pig genotypes is necessary to elucidate the effect of RNF4 gene mutation on reproductive traits.     

Genetic parameters and trends for production traits and their relationship with litter traits in Landrace and Yorkshire pigs

Genetic parameters and trends in the average daily gain (ADG), backfat thickness (BF), loin muscle area (LMA), lean percentage (LP), and age at 90 kg (D90) were estimated for populations of Landrace and Yorkshire pigs. Additionally, the correlations between these production traits and litter traits were estimated. Litter traits included total born (TB) and number born alive (NBA). The data used for this study were obtained from eight farms during 1999 to 2016. Analyses were carried out with a multivariate animal model to estimate genetic parameters for production traits while bivariate analyses were performed to estimate the correlations between production and litter traits. The heritability estimates were 0.52 and 0.43 for ADG; 0.54 and 0.45 for BF; 0.25 and 0.26 for LMA; 0.54 and 0.48 for LP; and 0.56 and 0.46 for D90 in the Landrace and Yorkshire breeds, respectively. The ADG and D90 showed low genetic correlation with BF and LP. The LMA had ?0.40, ?0.32, 0.49, and 0.39 genetic correlations with ADG, BF, LP, and D90, respectively. Genetic correlations between production and litter traits were generally low, except for the correlations between LMA and TB (?0.23) in Landrace and ADG and TB (?0.16), ADG and NBA (?0.18), D90 and TB (0.19), and D90 and NBA (0.20) in Yorkshire. Genetic trends in production traits were all favorable except for LMA.     

金华猪繁殖性状的统计学分析

采用金华猪场1979～1999年金华猪的繁殖性能生产记录,测定了2355头金华母猪(纯繁)和金华猪(K)与约克夏(Y)、长白(L)、杜洛克(D)、汉普夏(H)杂交后代的繁殖性状。综合考虑各性状的各种固定效应,并建立各性状的固定效应模型,对其进行方差分析,计算各性状的最小二乘均数(LSM),对影响较大的固定效应在各观察水平上的LSM进行分析与比较。固定效应分析结果表明:品种、胎次、季节、年份对产活仔数、60日龄头数的影响极显著(P<0.01)。而产仔数受胎次、季节、年份的影响极显著(P<0.01)。金华猪纯繁组以及LK×D、K×L杂交组的产仔数、产活仔数较高,K×L、K×Y杂交组合的60日龄头数较高。而其他外来品种之间杂交组合的繁殖性状显著低(P<0.01)。说明金华猪具有高产的优良特性。金华猪产仔数、产活仔数随胎次逐渐递增,6～7胎达到高峰。金华猪夏季产仔数最高为15.72±1.66,显著高于秋、春、冬(P<0.01)。产活仔数春、夏、秋季无差异(P>0.05),但高于冬季(P<0.05)。1982～1987年间金华猪无论是产仔数还是产活仔数整体都维持较高的水平。     

Genetic parameters and trends for litter traits in U.S. Yorkshire,Duroc, Hampshire,and Landrace pigs

Records on 251,296 Yorkshire, 75,262 Duroc, 83,338 Hampshire, and 53,234 Landrace litters born between 1984 and April of 1999 in herds on the National Swine Registry Swine Testing and Genetic Evaluation System were analyzed. Animal model and restricted maximum likelihood procedures were used to estimate variances of animal genetic (a), maternal genetic (m), permanent environmental, and service sire, and the covariances between a and m for number born alive (NBA), litter weight at 21 d (L21WT), and number weaned (NW). Fixed effects of contemporary groups were included in the analysis. Based on a single-trait model, estimates of heritabilities were 0.10, 0.09, 0.08, and 0.08 for NBA; 0.08, 0.07, 0.08, and 0.09 for L21WT; and 0.05, 0.07, 0.05, and 0.05 for NW in the Yorkshire, Duroc, Hampshire, and Landrace breeds, respectively. Estimates of maternal genetic effects were low and ranged from 0.00 to 0.02 for all traits and all breeds. Estimates of permanent environmental effects ranged from 0.03 to 0.08. Estimates of service sire effects ranged from 0.02 to 0.05. A bivariate analysis was used to estimate the genetic correlations among traits. Average genetic correlations over the four breeds were 0.13, 0.15, and 0.71 for NBA with L21WT, NBA with NW, and L21WT with NW, respectively. Average genetic trends were 0.018 pigs/yr, 0.114 kg/yr, and 0.004 pigs/yr for NBA, L21WT, and NW, respectively. Although estimates of heritabilities for litter traits were low and similar across breeds, genetic variances for litter traits were sufficiently large to indicate that litter traits could be improved through selection. This study presents the first set of breed-specific estimates of genetic parameters available from large numbers of field records. It provides information for use in national genetic evaluations.     

Genetic Parameter Estimation and Affecting Factor Analysis of Reproduction Traits in Large White Sow

In this study,7 945 litter records from 2 904 Large White sows were used to determine the effect of parity,mating season and the classified gestation length on total number born (TNB),number born alive (NBA),number healthy birth (NHB),number weak birth (NWB),deform fetus,number born dead (NBD),mummy fetus and stillbirth. Genetic parameters and genetic correlation of the above reproduction traits were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedure.The results indicated that the parity had non-significant effect on deform fetus (P=0.2619) and mummy fetus (P=0.4639),but had significant effect on other 7 reproduction traits (P <0.01).The effect of mating season on gestation length,NBA,NWB,mummy fetus,NBD and NHB were highly significant (P <0.01),while mating season effect on deform fetus was not significant (P=0.3993).Moreover,the effect of mating season on TNB and stillbirth were significant (P <0.05).Effect of different gestation length classification was significant on mummy fetus (P <0.05),and was highly significant on the other 7 traits (P <0.01).The gestation length got the highest heritability,at 0.34,while others below 0.2 as low heritability traits.There was a negative genetic correlation (r_g=-0.10) between gestation length and TNB,while a strong positive genetic correlation exists among TNB,NBA and NHB (r_g >0.80).The genetic correlation between gestation length and other reproductive traits was low,the highest one appears between gestation length and deform fetus reached -0.17.We concluded that the gestation length was medium heritability trait,it was influenced not only by environment factors (such as parity,mating season) but also reproductive traits like TNB,and gestation length could be used as an indirect indicator in pig production.     

大白猪繁殖性状遗传参数估计及影响因素的效应分析

本研究对7 945窝大白母猪妊娠周期、总产仔数、产活仔数、健仔数、弱仔数、畸形数、死仔数、木乃伊及死胎数9个繁殖性状进行了最小二乘分析,分析了胎次、配种季节及妊娠周期分类对母猪繁殖性能的影响;并利用动物模型REML(约束最大似然)方法估计动物繁殖性状的遗传力及性状之间的遗传相关.结果表明,胎次对畸形数(P=0.2619)和木乃伊(P=0.4639)影响不显著(P >0.05),对其他7个繁殖性状影响极显著(P <0.01);配种季节对妊娠周期、产活仔数、弱仔数、木乃伊、死仔数及健仔数影响极显著(P <0.01),对畸形数(P=0.3993)影响不显著(P> 0.05),对总产仔数和死胎数影响显著(P <0.05).妊娠周期对木乃伊影响显著(P <0.05),对其他7个性状影响极显著(P <0.01).妊娠周期遗传力最高,为0.34,其他繁殖性状遗传力都低于0.2,为低遗传力性状.总产仔数与妊娠周期之间存在负遗传相关(r_g=-0.10),与产活仔数及健仔数之间存在较强的正遗传相关,遗传相关都超过0.80.妊娠周期与其他繁殖性状之间的遗传相关较小,最高的为妊娠周期与畸形数之间的遗传相关为-0.17.由此得出结论,妊娠周期属于中等遗传力性状,妊娠周期不仅受到胎次、季节等环境因素的影响,而且也受总产仔数等繁殖性状的影响,妊娠周期可作为养猪生产的间接指标.     

胎次对杜洛克、长白和大白母猪繁殖性能的影响

为了研究胎次对杜洛克、长白和大白母猪繁殖性能的影响,根据江苏省某国家级生猪核心育种场2009-2011年出生的繁殖母猪资料,分别选取128头杜洛克、681头长白和610头大白母猪共7280窝生产数据,统计分析不同胎次母猪的总产仔数、产活仔数、断奶仔猪数、初生窝重及校正21日龄窝重。此外,依据胎次将母猪分为3个繁殖阶段（1～2胎、3～6胎及7～8胎）来探究品种差异对母猪繁殖性能的影响。结果表明：胎次对母猪繁殖性能有显著影响（P<0.05）,母猪1～4胎的总产仔数、产活仔数、断奶仔猪数及初生窝重随胎次呈增加趋势,第4胎达到高峰,且显著高于其他胎次（P<0.05）;3～6胎繁殖性能较好,7胎之后出现迅速下降趋势;除在第4胎略有下降外,其他胎次的校正21日龄窝重随胎次递增。品种对母猪繁殖性能的影响显著（P<0.05）,长白和大白母猪的繁殖性能均极显著高于杜洛克母猪（P<0.01）;长白母猪的产活仔数和校正21日龄窝重显著高于大白母猪（P<0.05）,2个品种其他繁殖性能无显著差异（P＞0.05）。综上所述,杜洛克、长白和大白母猪的最佳繁殖胎次为3～6胎,长白猪的繁殖性能总体上优于大白猪,就本试验所在的育种场而言,长白猪可能更适合作为二元母猪生产中的母本。