Assessment of the prolificacy potential in the modern selection of breeding pigs

When breeding pigs, different selection traits are used, but the most difficult breeding method is the one based on reproductive qualities. This is due to the fact that many traits characterizing the reproductive qualities of pigs have low heritability coefficients (h2). To solve this problem, ESR gene-based selection is performed during breeding practices. However, even with the up-to-date data on the selection results for the alleles of this gene, present-day stock breeders have little information about the genetic potential of selection traits, variability of selection traits, etc. The prolificacy in Livny and Kalikin breed pigs, the distribution of prolificacy in a heard of Danish Landrace and Yorkshire pigs were analyzed in the research. It has been established that domestic pig breeds have an average prolificacy of 10 piglets. This dependence can be expressed by the regression equation yx =9.421+0.62058х-0.0557x2, where х is the farrow number. In a herd of Landrace breed pigs, the prolificacy values fluctuated from 4 to 22 piglets per farrow, however most often 13 to 17 piglets were born per farrow. 74 sows (the largest group in the herd) gave birth each to 17 piglets per farrow. A similar trend was observed in Yorkshire sows, and the relevant fluctuations ranged from 5 to 24 piglets. On average, the superiority of Yorkshire sows over Landrace ones was 0.5 to 1.5 piglets and over domestic breed ones was up to 4 to 5 piglets. Based on the research results, it was recommended that the selection must be performed taking into account prolificacy, body length, number of nipples and special attention should be paid to the European breeding methods used.