Evaluation of crossbred sows for the production of pigs for slaughter

Abstract

Summary: Data from 726 male and 765 female pigs (364 litters) from 28 threebreed crosses obtained from mating Poland China boars to gilts and sows from different two-breed-crosses were analysed. The 28 two-breed-crosses were obtained from mating Yorkshire (Y), Landrace (Ld), Lacombe (Lc), Hampshire (H), Duroc (D), Berkshire (B) and Large Black (LB) sows to Ld, Lc, H, D, B, LB and Tamworth (T) boars in an incomplete diallel mating design. The traits studied were age at slaughter (72 kg carcass weight), carcass backfat measurement and an index combining both traits.The youngest pigs to reach slaughter weight were those from LB x D sows (191·3 days) while the oldest were from T x D sows (211·6 days). The pigs with the least depth of backfat were those involving the Hampshire breed (mean 7·28 cm) while those involving the Large Black had the thickest backfat (mean 7·81 cm). In descending order, the five highest ranking crosses based on the index were those from H x Ld, H x Lc, LB x D, Lc x Ld and H x Y sows.