Genetic parameters for feed intake, litter weight, body condition and rebreeding success in primiparous Norwegian Landrace sows

• Published in: Animal (Cambridge, England) England), 2014-02, Vol.8 (2), p.175-183
• Main Authors: Lundgren, H., Fikse, W. F., Grandinson, K., Lundeheim, N., Canario, L., Vangen, O., Olsen, D., Rydhmer, L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural sciences; Animals; Animals, Newborn; appetite; body condition; breeding; Breeding - methods; Breeding and genetics; Eating - genetics; farmers; feed intake; Female; genetic correlation; Genetics and Breeding; Genetik och förädling; heritability; lactation; landraces; Life Sciences; litter size; Litter Size - genetics; litter weight; pig; piglet growth; Pregnancy; Quantitative Trait, Heritable; Reproduction - genetics; reproductive performance; sows; Sus scrofa - genetics; weaning
• ISSN: 1751-7311; 1751-732X; 1751-732X
• DOI: 10.1017/S1751731113002000

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for feed intake recorded as farmers’ perception of young sows’ appetite for the first 3 weeks of lactation (APP) and feed intake recorded for one day in the 3rd week of lactation (FEED), litter weight (LW) at 3 weeks, sow body condition at weaning (BC) and the following five reproduction traits: weaning-to-service interval of 1 to 7 days (WSI7), weaning-to-service interval of 1 to 50 days (WSI50), delayed service or not (DELAYED), pregnant on first service or not (PREGNANT) and litter size in 2nd parity (NBT2). The analyses included data on 4606 Norwegian Landrace 1st-parity sows and their litters. The Gibbs sampling method was used. The traits DELAYED and PREGNANT were analysed as threshold traits and APP, FEED, LW, BC, WSI7, WSI50 and NBT2 were analysed as linear traits. The heritability estimates for APP and FEED were low (