Quantitative Studies on Blood Group and Serum Protein Systems in Pigs. II. Effects on Production and Reproduction

Abstract

Twelve blood and four serum systems were studied to determine their relationship with other traits in two breeds of pigs. Data were from 16,000 pigs in 2,000 litters involving 429 sires. Thirteen percent of 300 F-tests from within group least squares analyses of variance, indicated significant (P⩽0.05) relationships among blood and serum systems and the traits studied. Least squares estimates for phenotypes were not consistent between breeds, although some similarities were noted, and the effects found did not confirm the results reported in other studies with pigs. A major and consistent effect of alleles at the H system on reproductive performance was found. Less than 2% of the variance in the productive traits was accounted for by the systems collectively but from 0 to 12% was explained in the reproductive traits.