EC68-217 Selection and Crossbreeding for the Pork Producer Leo Lucas
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University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Historical Materials from University of Nebraska- Extension Lincoln Extension 1968 EC68-217 Selection and Crossbreeding for the Pork Producer Leo Lucas Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist Lucas, Leo, "EC68-217 Selection and Crossbreeding for the Pork Producer" (1968). Historical Materials from University of Nebraska- Lincoln Extension. 3860. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/3860 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Extension at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. E.C.68-217 SELECTION and CROSSBREEDING lo,. the Po,.k p,.oduce,. EXTENSION SERVICE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA COLL EGE OF AGRICU LTURE AND HOME E CONOMICS AND U . S . DEPART MENT OF AG RI CU LTURE COOPERATI NG E . F . FROLIK . DEAN J . L. ADAMS. DIRECTOR Selection and Crossbreeding for the Pork Producer By Leo E. Lucast Agricultural Extension Livestock Specialist (Swine) What Crossbreeding Can Do * Increase size of litter at farro·wing (crossbred sows farrow larger litters) * Increase litter size at ·weaning (livability) * Increase growth rate What Selection of Superior Performing Parents Can Do * Increase growth rate and efficiency of gain * Increase meatiness What Selection and Crossbreeding Cannot Do * Overcome poor management * Replace sound nutrition and feeding * Replace good sanitation and disease control Introduction Crossbreeding vigor increases growth rate and sur vival. The goal of the commercial pro Crossbreeding is rather common 2. I n th e cmssb1·ed sow, hybrid ducer is to produce quality lean place on most Nebraska hog farms. vigor increases fertility, conception pork economically (Fig. 1) . By selec Ninety percent or more of the pigs rate, litter size and survival of pigs. tion of superior breeding stock and marketed today are crossbred in However, crossbreeding will not by crossbreeding, profits can be in one form or another. However, materially increase: creased. This circular discusses pro even with the large amount of l. Feed Efficiency: Feed efficiency cedures necessary for the producer crossbreeding being done, only a is 35% heritable and can be im to receive full benefits from his small percentage of producers are proved by selecting boars with su breeding program. realizing the full benefits. perior records of feed conversion. Three general areas of decisions Crossbreeding is the mating of 2. Meatiness of Pigs: Carcass will determine the effect of breed genetically different lines or breeds. traits are highly heritable and can ing in yo ur herd. These are: The resulting increase in perform be improved by selecting parents I. Breeding program (crossbreed- ance is called hybrid vigo1· or het with superior meatiness. ing). erosis. It is measured as the percent Caution: Crossbreeding swine in 2. Boar selection. superiority of crossbred offspring itself will not make your operation 3. Gilt selection. over the average of their parents. successful. Remember, all phases of Only by making accurate deci Crossbreeding has several advant hog production are necessary £or sions in each area will the full ages over purebreeding, particularly success. Many producers fail with benefit of your breeding program for traits with low heritability esti their crossbreeding program be be obtained. A half-pmgmm is no mates (Table 1): ca use of one of the following fac better than none at all. 1. Jn the individual jJig, hybrid tors: 1 T he author wishes lO acknowledge the help of the Cooperative Extension Services of Jo,,-a State Cniversity and the U niversity of ~'f i nn eso ta for the illustrations used in this circul ar. The cover picture sho \\·ing the Crossbred Gra nd Champion load at the 1965 International a t Chicago is courtesy of Roy B. Keppy, Davenport, lo\\·a. 2 1. No system of crossbreeding. 2. Select inferior breeding stoc.k. 3. Poor choice of breeds. Systems of Crossbreeding To realize the full benefits from a crossing program, you must fol low a well planned system of breed ing. You may use one of several crossbreeding programs. These pro grams vary in the number of breeds used, or in the rotation of breeds involved. Success with crossbreed ing depends on the superiority of the parent stock regardless of breed. Several systematic crossing pro grams can be used successfully. These include a single cross be tween two breeds, continuous two breed cross and rotational cross of three or more breeds. Generally, a three-breed cross is recommended over other crosses if superior boars of three breeds are available. Single Cross Between Two Breeds A single cross is made by crossing two breeds. For example, Duroc sows mated to Hampshire boars or Yorkshire sows mated to Poland China boars. 'i'Vhen replacement females are needed, purebreds are either produced by the sows in the herd or are purchased from another breeder. Pigs produced from the single cross exhibit hybrid vigor, but this system does not take advantage of hybrid vigor on sow productivity from crossbred sows. You may par Figure L Three types of pork carcasses from 200-pound hogs shown with the cross-section tially overcome this by selecting of untrimmed loins and hams. From left: Meat Type- 60.4 potmds ham and loin, loin sows for good mothering and milk eye area 6.28 square inches, fat u·im 13 pounds. Meat-Less Type-50.6 pounds ham and loin, loin eye area 2.23 square inches, fat trim 13 pounds. Fat Type-49.8 pounds ham ing ability. and loin, loin eye area 3.44 square inches, fat trim 22 pounds. This system is not ge nera lly recommended for the commercial producer because it requires the Table 1. Heritability Estimates. purchasing of purebred gilts. In the Level of heritability Trait I Average percen t long run, if you select female re I placements from your own herd, High Carcass Length 65 genetic improvement will be made Percent Ham (based on carcass weight) 60 with less risk of introducing· disease Backfat Thickness 50 Loin Eye Size 50 problems. Medium Percent Lean Cuts (based on carcass weight) 35 Feed Efficiency 35 Two-Breed Cross GrO\\'Lh R ate (11·eaning to market) 30 The two-breed cross uses pure Low Weaning Weight 15 bred boars of two different breeds Number farrowed 10 in alternate generations (Fig. 2) . Number weaned 10 Crossbred gilts are selected each Birth "·eight 5 3 1ST YEAR 2N D YEAR JRD YEAR 4TH YEAR lATER YEARS Breed Selection Hampshire and Selection of breeds to be used in Spot boars the crossing program is important. Breeds should be selected to com , X X X X re peat X plement each other in addition to fLirl~ ~ lfLirl~ ~ l seguence using breeds available locally. Crossbred sows Normally, when starting a pro 8 gram, females should be selected from a rapid, efficient gaining breed with superior carcass merit. Poland and When available, superior crossbred Landrace boars females may be used and mated with a boar of a different breed. X X X X repeat X This procedure allows you to ob ~1~ ~~ 1~1~ ~ 1 seguence Cross bred sows tain the hybrid vigor in the pig and from the sow in the first gen Figure 2. Examples o[ how purebred boars are used on crossbred sows in two-breed eration. rotation. To help you select breeds, the breeds have been divided into three generation or year and mated to vantage of more than three breeds groups based on their performance. one of the parent breeds. The boar is the difficulty in finding superior The basis for the division is avail should be selected from the breed performing boars in four or more able performance data. having least relationship to cross breeds. I. Breeds rated high on mother bred females. ing and milking ability; Yorkshire, Under this system, both sows and Specific Three-Breed Cross Landrace, Chester ·white. gilts are crossbred after first cross Some commercial companies 2. Breeds rated high on carcass ing, and will yield more hybrid offer a crossbred female, usually a traits; Hampshire, Poland. vigor in sow production traits than cross of two breeds, and a boar of 3. Breeds rated high on growthi the single cross. Hybrid vigor a third breed for sale. This pro ness; Duroc, Spotted Swine. should result in increased litter gram allows you to obtain hybrid In selecting breeds for a three size, livability and growth rate. vigor in the sow and pig in the first breed cross, one breed should be cross. The system permits the selected from each group if supe Three-Breed Cross breeder to select replacement ani rior performing boars of those The three-breed cross is the most mals on the basis of their specific breeds are available. "When two widely used and recommended sys crossing ability. The producer may breeds are used, you have the choice tem for crossing. This system has wish to continue his crossing pro of selecting a breed from two of the the advantage over two-breeds in gram by selecting replacement gilts three groups. It would not be gen slightly increased vigor for certain from his stock or by returning to erally recommended to select all performance traits (Table 2). How the company for a new group of breeds from one grou p. ever, it is easier sometimes to find gilts and boars after the original top performing boars of two breeds sows fail to maintain high repro How About Hybrid Boars than three. ductive efficiency. Several commercial companies This system uses three different Contrary to the general opinion, offer "hybrid" breeding stock for breeds of boars in rotation on cross crossbreeding programs do not lose sale.