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Individual Heterosis And Breed Effects For Postweaning Performance And Carcass Traits In Four Breeds Of Swine, D. G. Mclaren, D. S. Buchanan, R. K. Johnson
Individual Heterosis And Breed Effects For Postweaning Performance And Carcass Traits In Four Breeds Of Swine, D. G. Mclaren, D. S. Buchanan, R. K. Johnson
Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications
Individual heterosis and direct and maternal breed effects for postweaning average daily gain (ADG), off-test age (AGE) and probed backfat thickness (BF) were estimated from data on 1,664 pigs produced in a complete diallel mating system involving the Duroc, Yorkshire, Landrace and Spotted breeds. The same genetic parameters were estimated for various carcass traits by analyses of data collected on 269 barrow carcasses. Significant breed x environment (i.e., year-season farrowed, parity and sex) interactions were found for ADG, AGE and BF. Specific heterosis estimates for ADG and AGE were all highly significant and reasonably consistent among crosses. Overall heterosis for …