Results of Crossbreeding Experiments Using Meat type Boars and Stress Resistant Sows

Abstract

Several crossbreeding experiments were conducted in which Pietrain boars were mated with stress resistant sows of a specially developed line of German Landrace selected for homozygosity in the halothane negative reaction (DL HN), or with German Landrace halothane positive sows (DL HP), or with stress resistant F₁ German Landrace × Edelschwein sows (DE × DL). Reproduction criteria for 559 litters from 396 sows indicated an improvement with the stress resistant purebred and crossbred sows, although the mean number of piglets born per litter was not significantly different between HN and HP sows.

The carcass composition of the progeny of DL (HN) sows was only slightly less favourable from that of the progeny of DL (HP) sows. In contrast all criteria of meat quality were superior to the progeny of DL (HN) sows. It was concluded that, despite the observed difference in leanness, the crossbred Pi × DL (HN) pigs combined superior meat quality with a sufficiently good carcass grade.