Genetic and phenotypic parameters for carcass and meat quality traits in commercial crossbred pigs.
Pork quality and carcass characteristics are now being integrated into swine breeding objectives because of their economic value. Understanding the genetic basis for these traits is necessary for this to be accomplished. The objective of this study was to estimate phenotypic and genetic parameters for carcass and meat quality traits in 2 Canadian swine populations. Data from a genomic selection study aimed at improving meat quality with a mating system involving hybrid Landrace × Large White and Duroc pigs were used to estimate heritabilities and phenotypic and genetic correlations among them. Data on 2,100 commercial crossbred pigs for meat quality and carcass traits were recorded with pedigrees compromising 9,439 animals over 15 generations. Significant fixed effects (company, sex, and slaughter batch), covariates (cold carcass weight and slaughter age), and random additive and common litter effects were fitted in the models. A series of pairwise bivariate analyses were implemented in ASReml to estimate phenotypic and genetic parameters. Heritability estimates (±SE) for carcass traits were moderate to high and ranged from 0.22 ± 0.08 for longissimus dorsi muscle area to 0.63 ± 0.04 for trimmed ham weight, except for firmness, which was low. Heritability estimates (±SE) for meat quality traits varied from 0.10 ± 0.04 to 0.39 ± 0.06 for the Minolta b* of ham quadriceps femoris muscle and shear force, respectively. Generally, most of the genetic correlations were significant (P < 0.05) and ranged from low (0.18 ± 0.07) to high (-0.97 ± 0.35). There were high negative genetic correlations between drip loss with pH and shear force and a positive correlation with cooking loss. Genetic correlations between carcass weight (both hot and cold) with carcass marbling were highly positive. It was concluded that selection for increasing primal and subprimal cut weights with better pork quality may be possible. Furthermore, the use of pH is confirmed as an indicator for pork water-holding capacity and cooking loss. The heritabilities of carcass and pork quality traits indicated that they can be improved using traditional breeding methods and genomic selection, respectively. The estimated genetic parameters for carcass and meat quality traits can be incorporated into the breeding programs that emphasize product quality in these Canadian swine populations.
Livestock Gentec Centre, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2P5, Canada.
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Miar
Livestock Gentec Centre, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2P5, Canada.
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Plastow
Livestock Gentec Centre, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2P5, Canada Centre for Animal Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
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Moore
Livestock Gentec Centre, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2P5, Canada.
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Manafiazar
Hypor Inc., Regina, SK, S4N 6E1, Canada.
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Charagu
Genesus Genetics, Oakville, MB, R0H 0Y0, Canada.
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Kemp
Hypor Inc., Regina, SK, S4N 6E1, Canada.
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Van Haandel
Research and Technology Centre, Hendrix Genetics, P.O. Box 114, 5830 AC Boxmeer, The Netherlands.
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Huisman
Livestock Gentec Centre, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2P5, Canada.
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Zhang
McKay GENSTAT Consultants Inc., Brandon, MB, R7B 3H2, Canada.
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McKay
Livestock Gentec Centre, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2P5, Canada.
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Bruce
Livestock Gentec Centre, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2P5, Canada Zhiquan@ualberta.ca.
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Wang
D000818:Animals; D064131:Back Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D063427:Food Quality; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards*; D010641:Phenotype; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D013552:Swine / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics*
carcass merit; crossbred; genetic parameter; meat quality; swine