The relationships between the performance test results of young crossbred boars

Abstract

The relationships between the most important results of performance test of 3.876 young crossbred boars, expressed as calculated correlation coefficients were determined. The animals came from 6 crossing variants: Hampshire x Belgian Landrace (H x BL), Hampshire x Duroc (H x D), Hampshire x Pietrain (H x P), Duroc x Pietrain (D x P), Pietrain x Hampshire (P x H) and Pietrain x Duroc (P x D). Young crossbred boars were performance tested in years 2004-2008 in Poland in Bydgoszcz Breeding Region. The traits taken into account were: age and body weight on the test day, daily gain of body weight standardized on 180th day of life, backfat thickness in P2 and P4 points, height of loin eye in P4 point, lean meat content and the performance test selection index. In a total results summary from years 2004-2008 in tested groups of young crossbred boars (except H x BL) negative and in most cases statistically high significant correlations were proved between the growth rate and standardized backfat thickness in P2 and P4 points and in young crossbred boars came from 3 following crossing variants: H x BL, P x H, P x D negative and statistically high significant correlation coefficients were observed between the daily gain of body weight and standardized lean meat content, which may show the unfavourable impact of high growth rate on meat content.

Keywords

• correlation coefficients
• performance test
• young crossbred boars