Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-l7hp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T22:39:19.589Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Genetic variation in the efficiency of energy utilization by the fattening pig

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

W. H. Foster ,
D. J. Kilpatrick  and
I. H. Heaney
W. H. Foster
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute, Hillsborough, Co. Down
D. J. Kilpatrick
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Biometrics, Agriculture and Food Science Centre, New forge Lane, Belfast, BT9 5PX
I. H. Heaney
Affiliation:
Pig Testing Station, Muckamore, Co. Antrim
Get access

Abstract

An analysis was performed on data from three breeds recorded at the Pig Testing Station in Antrim in order to estimate and apportion variation in the measure of efficiency considered here, namely the daily food consumption after allowance had been made for maintenance and production requirements and other fixed effects. Results suggest that a considerable proportion of the variation in residual consumption is due to genetic causes (h2 = 0·3) and that selection to exploit this variation would result in an appreciable reduction in food costs. There were indications of considerable litter effects upon the trait.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 37 , Issue 3 , December 1983 , pp. 387 - 393
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1983

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Agricultural Research Council. 1981. The Nutrient Requirements of Pigs. Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux, Slough.Google Scholar
Fowler, V. R., Fuller, M. F., Close, W. H. and Whittemore, C. T. 1980. Energy requirements for the growing pig. In Energy Metabolism (ed. Mount, L. E.), Proc. 8th Symp. Cambridge, 1979, pp. 151–156. Butterworth, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gray, R. and McCracken, K. J. 1980. Plane of nutrition and the maintenance requirement. In Energy Metabolism (ed. Mount, L. E.), Proc. 8th Symp., Cambridge, 1979, pp. 163–167. Butterworth, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harvey, W. R. 1977. User's guide for LSML 76. Mixed model least-squares and maximum likelihood computer program. Ohio State Univ., Columbus. (Mimeograph).Google Scholar
Van Es, A. J. H. 1972. Maintenance. In Handbuch der Tierernahrung (Vol. 2) (ed. Lenkeit, W., Breirem, K. and Crasemann, E.), pp. 1–54. Verlag-Paul Parey, Hamburg.Google Scholar