BASC106B: SELECTION AND CULLING OF PIGS and

PEDIGREE EVALUATION

This method relies heavily on ancestry records which at times are reliable, and in most cases, not available.

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE

This is the most common, simple, effective, and practical method. Based on this method, animal are evaluated for traits that can be measured directly on them such as ADG and BF

Independent culling level

individual performance based on 1 trait

Tandem Method

individual performance based on 2 or more traits are entirely independent from each other

SELECTION INDEX

The most efficient way of establishing genetic quality to improve the herd. However, this is difficult to apply as it considers many traits along with their heritability, phenotypic and genotypic correlations, and economic values of the different traits being considered in an index.

Selection Index = 240 + [(100)(ADG)] – [(50)(FCR)] – [(19.7)(BF)]

SELECTION INDEX FORMULA

1. the breed popular in the community should be given priority.

2. Experience and knowledge

3. Target Market

[3] things to take note of in selecting breeds

• Healthy, vigorous, and active

• Promise of good gainers and rapid growers

• Rapid growers usually comes from highest weight at weaning

• Free from hereditary defects and diseases

• Never purchase/ buy runts

[5] Pointers in Selecting Breeders

1. Evaluate animals from the ground up and from the rear forward.

2. Rank the traits for their importance

3. Evaluate the most important traits first

4. Placed the class based on the volume of the important traits.

[4] Steps to Judging Swine

1. Degree of muscling

2. Growth

3. Capacity or volume

4. Degree of leanness

5. Structure and soundness

[5] Ranking of Traits for Market Hogs

1. Structure and soundness

2. Growth

3. Underline

4. Capacity or volume

5. Degree of muscling

6. Degree of leanness

[6] Ranking Traits for Maternal Line Breeding Gilts

1. Structure and soundness

2. Degree of muscling

3. Growth

4. Capacity or volume

5. Degree of leanness

6. Underline quality

[6] Ranking of Traits for Terminal Line of Breeding Gilts

fastest growth

In evalutating swine growth, rank animals from heaviest to lightest (heaviest pig= ____________)

the same age

In evaluating growth of swine, unless instructed otherwise, assume all animals in the class are _________

1. Width through rib and chest

2. Depth of body

3. Length of body

[3] Capacity (volume) Is determined by three factors

1. Feet and pastern

2. Hocks

3. Knees

4. Rump

5. Shoulder

[5] Evaluating Structure and Soundness