Direct-Maternal Genetic Parameters for Litter Size and Body Weight of Piglets of a New Black Breed for the Taiwan Black Hog Market

Hsiu-Lan Lee; Mu-Yao Lin; Han-Sheng Wang; Chin-Bin Hsu; Cheng-Yung Lin; Shen-Chang Chang; Perng-Chih Shen; Hsiu-Luan Chang

doi:10.3390/ani12233295

Direct-Maternal Genetic Parameters for Litter Size and Body Weight of Piglets of a New Black Breed for the Taiwan Black Hog Market

Animals (Basel). 2022 Nov 25;12(23):3295. doi: 10.3390/ani12233295.

Authors

Hsiu-Lan Lee^{1

2}, Mu-Yao Lin³, Han-Sheng Wang⁴, Chin-Bin Hsu⁵, Cheng-Yung Lin¹, Shen-Chang Chang⁶, Perng-Chih Shen⁷, Hsiu-Luan Chang⁷

Affiliations

¹ Animal Industry Division, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, Tainan 71246, Taiwan.
² Graduate Institute of Bioresources, National Ping Tung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan.
³ Formosan Farmers Association for Swine Improvement, Taipei 24242, Taiwan.
⁴ Taitung Animal Propagation Station, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, Taitung 95444, Taiwan.
⁵ Nutrition Division, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, Tainan 71246, Taiwan.
⁶ Kaohsiung Animal Propagation Station, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, Pingtung 91247, Taiwan.
⁷ Department of Animal Science, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters of litter size and piglet weight from farrowing to weaning in KHAPS Black sows. The genetic parameters investigated were the direct (h²_d), maternal (h²_m), realized (h²_r), and total (h²_T) heritability, as well as correlations (r_d, r_m, and r_dm) within and between traits. The analyses were performed using single- and three-trait animal models with and without maternal genetic effects. In the three-trait model with maternal genetic effect, all estimates of h²_d and h²_m were significantly different from zero except the h²_d of mean birth weight. Positive values of r_d and r_m between traits were observed as expected in the range of 0.322-1.000. Negative values of r_dm were found within and between traits and were less associated with mean piglet weight traits than litter size traits. Estimates of h²_T were consistently larger than those of h²_r in both the single- and three-trait model analyses. In addition, the three-trait model can take into account the association between the traits, so the estimates are more accurate with smaller SEs. In conclusion, maternal genetic effects were not negligible in this study, and thus, a multiple-trait animal model with maternal genetic effects and full pedigree is recommended to assist future pig breeding decisions in this new breed.

Keywords: animal model; genetic parameter; maternal genetic effects; piglet performance; sow.

Grants and funding

The research was completed as part of H.-L.L.’s Ph.D., which was funded by Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture (grand number: 105AS-2.5.2-LI-L1(2) and 106 AS-2.5.2-LI-L1(2),(4)), Executive Yuan, Taiwan. Moreover, this research was also partially funded by National Science and Technology Council (grand number: MOST 111-2313-B-020-005), Executive Yuan, Taiwan.