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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Dubois, Idaho » Range Sheep Production Efficiency Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #192777
Title: GENETIC PARAMETER ESTIMATES FOR PERFORMANCE, COMPOSITION, AND MEAT QUALITY TRAITS IN LANDRACE PIG

Author
item Leeds, Timothy - Tim
item MOELLER, STEVEN - OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
item ZERBY, HENRY - OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
item IRVIN, KEITH - OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
item STILL, SARA - OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: World Congress of Genetics Applied in Livestock Production
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/3/2006
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The U.S. pork industry has identified poor and inconsistent pork quality as a significant issue facing the industry. Pork quality traits that are predictive of processing and eating quality have been identified. Efforts to improve these traits using traditional selection are enhanced when animal breeders have knowledge of their genetic basis (i.e. heritabilities and genetic correlations). Results of this study indicate that many pork quality traits are heritable and can be improved through selection. Estimates of genetic correlations between traits of composition and pork quality suggest that animal breeders who wish to improve pork quality, without compromising carcass lean composition, should simultaneously consider traits of both types when making selection decisions. Genetic estimates from this study will be utilized in a subsequent selection experiment with the aim of improving pork quality in Landrace pigs.

Technical Abstract: Data from a purebred Landrace resource population, developed to represent current U.S. breed genetic and phenotypic diversity, were utilized to derive restricted maximum likelihood estimates of genetic parameters using single and multiple trait animal models for days to 113.4 kg (DAYS), 10th rib backfat (BF) and loin muscle area (LMA), subjective color and marbling, 24 h postmortem pH (pH24h), Minolta color (L*, a*, and b*), purge loss (PURGE), cook loss (CLOSS), intramuscular fat (IMF), and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBS). Heritability estimates were high (' 0.59) for BF and LMA; moderate (0.19 to 0.47) for IMF, color, L*, a*, WBS, DAYS, pH24h, and marbling; and low (' 0.06) for b*, CLOSS, and PURGE. Genetic correlations between composition and meat quality traits were generally antagonistic while genetic correlations among meat quality traits were generally favorable in direction.