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Evaluation of performance at slaughter of twenty combinations of three-breed crosses of pigs
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 September 2010
Summary
Two castrated male pigs from each of 620 litters were fed ad libitum to 90 kg market weight at three stations. The pigs represented 20 three-breed crosses produced by mating Yorkshire, Landrace, Lacombe, Hampshire and Duroc sires to Landrace-Yorkshire, Hampshire-Landrace, Large Black-Lacombe, Large Black-Landrace, Duroc-Lacombe and Duroc-Yorkshire dams. The data on feed conversion, average daily gain, age at slaughter, backfat thickness and area of loin eye muscle were analysed by least-squares.
Within breed cross of dam, pigs sired by Hampshire were consistently superior in feed conversion, carcass quality and in 3 crosses out of 5 had the fastest growth rate during the fattening period. They were, however, the oldest at 90 kg live weight. Pigs sired by Duroc ranked second in carcass quality and growth rate, whereas those sired by Landrace had the slowest growth rate. The pigs produced by Hampshire-Landrace sows were superior in carcass quality but inferior in feed conversion and growth to those from sows of the other five crosses.
In descending order, the four highest ranking crosses based on an index combining average daily gain, backfat thickness and feed efficiency were Hampshire × (Landrace-Yorkshire), Hampshire × (Duroc-Lacombe), Duroc × (Landrace-Yorkshire) and Hampshire × (Large Black-Landrace).
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- Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1976
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