Abstract
The feed efficiency of growing pigs has been a matter of serious commercial and scientific interest since at least 1970, but early recording technology made it difficult to produce accurate feed intake data at the individual level. Since electronic feeders were introduced, the pig breeding industry has been making good genetic improvement in feed conversion ratio (FCR) but this has been mainly due to genetic improvement of growth and body composition traits. More than one third of the variation in feed intake is due to processes that are independent of growth and body composition, mainly body maintenance processes such as basal metabolism, protein turnover, thermoregulation, physical activity, immune and other coping functions, nutrient digestion and absorption efficiency. We give an example of how genetic variation in basal metabolism may be generated by electron leakage through the mitochondrial membrane. This considerable (and up to now insufficiently exploited) variation can be accessed through the trait residual feed intake (RFI: feed intake, statistically adjusted for growth and body composition). In routine breeding value estimation systems, this is catered for by including feed intake (rather than FCR) in the breeding goal and in the multi-trait BLUP evaluation. We give examples of how selection for growth and body composition traits and RFI leads to genetic change in feed intake and from there in FCR, in four real-life breeding populations, and show that genetic improvement of FCR is a function of genetic improvement of those underlying traits. Improving the efficiency of any system often leads to a higher sensitivity to extraneous challenges; this also holds for the growing pig. An important element of a breeding program that focuses on genetic improvement of feed efficiency is therefore the proper monitoring and control of side effects in other traits, most notably robustness and quality traits. And because many of the body maintenance processes are strongly influenced by the production environment, the data used for breeding value estimation of RFI should be recorded in commercial conditions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bergsma, R., E. Kanis, E. F. Knol, and P. Bijma. 2008. The contribution of social effects to heritable variation in finishing traits of domestic pigs (Sus scrofa). Genetics 178:1559–1570.
Bernard, C., and M. H. Fahmy. 1970. Effect of selection on feed utilization and carcass score in swine. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 50:575–584.
Biswas, D. K., A. B. Chapman, N. L. First, and H. L. Self. 1971. Intrapopulation versus reciprocal recurrent selection in swine. J. Anim. Sci. 32:840–848.
Bottje, W., Z. X. Tang, M. Iqbal, D. Cawthon, R. Okimoto, T. Wing, and M. Cooper. 2002. Association of mitochondrial function with feed efficiency within a single genetic line of male broilers. Poult. Sci. 81:546–555.
Bottje, W. G., and G. E. Carstens. 2009. Association of mitochondrial function and feed efficiency in poultry and livestock species. J. Anim. Sci. 87:E48-E63.
Bottje, W., M. D. Brand, C. Ojano-Dirain, K. Lassiter, M. Toyomizu, and T. Wing. 2009. Mitochondrial proton leak kinetics and relationship with feed efficiency within a single genetic line of male broilers. Poult. Sci. 88:1683–1693.
Casey, D. S., H. S. Stern, and J. C. M. Dekkers. 2005. Identification of errors and factors associated errors in data from electronic swine feeders. J. Anim. Sci. 83:969–982.
Casey, D. S., and L. Wang. 2006. Methods of editing errors in data from electronic swine feeders impact heritability estimates of average daily feed intake. J. Anim. Sci. 82(Suppl. 1):120 (Abstr.).
Casey, D., M. Perez, D. McLaren, and T. Short. 2006. Crossbred breeding values: selecting for commercial performance in pigs. Communication 06–26 in Proc. 8th World Congr. Genet. Appl. Livest. Prod., Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Dekkers, J. C. M., and H. Gilbert. 2010. Genetic and biological aspect of residual feed intake in pigs. Communication 0287 in Proc. 9th World Congr. Genet. Appl. Livest. Prod., Leipzig, Germany.
Dittrich, M., S. Hayashi, and K. Schulten. 2003. On the mechanism of ATP hydrolysis in F1-ATPase. Biophys. J. 85:2253–2266.
Eissen, J. J., E. Kanis, and J. W. M. Merks. 1998. Algorithms for identifying errors in individual feed intake data of growing pigs in group housing. Appl. Eng. Agr. 14:667–673.
Eissen, J. J., A. G. de Haan, and E. Kanis. 1999. Effect of missing data on the estimate of average daily feed intake of growing pigs. J. Anim. Sci. 77:1372–1378.
Fan, B., S. Lkhagvadorj, W. Cai, J. Young, R. M. Smith, J. C. M. Dekkers, E. Huff-Lonergan, S. M. Lonergan, and M. F. Rothschild. 2010. Identification of genetic markers associated with residual feed intake and meat quality traits in the pig. Meat Sci. 4:645–650.
Faure, J., L. Lefaucheur, N. Bonhomme, L. Brossard, H. Gilbert, and B. Lebret. 2011. Pork quality differences between lines divergently selected for residual feed intake. Communication P012 in Proc. Int. Congr. Meat Sci. Tech., Ghent, Belgium.
Gilbert, H., S. al Aïn, J. P. Bidanel, H. Lagant, Y. Billon, P. Guillouet, J. Noblet, and P. Sellier. 2009. Relations génétiques entre efficacité alimentaire et cinétiques de croissance et d’ingestion chez le porc Large White. Communication G01 in Proc. 41st Journées de la Recherche Porcine, Paris, France.
Gilbert, H., J. P. Bidanel, Y. Billon, H. Lagant, P. Guillouet, P. Sellier, J. Noblet, and S. Hermesch. 2012. Correlated responses in sow appetite, residual feed intake, body composition and reproduction after divergent selection for residual feed intake in the growing pig. J. Anim. Sci. 90:1097–1108.
Gunsett, F. C. 1984. Linear index selection to improve traits defined as ratios. J. Anim. Sci. 59:1185–1193.
Gunsett, F. C. 1987. Merit of utilizing the heritability of a ratio to predict the genetic change of a ratio. J. Anim. Sci. 65:936–942.
Jastroch, M., A. S. Divakaruni, S. Mookerjee, J. R. Treberg, and M. D. Brand. 2010. Mitochondrial proton and electron leaks. Essays Biochem. 47:53–67.
Kennedy, B. W., J. H. van der Werf, and T. H. Meuwissen. 1993. Genetic and statistical properties of residual feed intake. J. Anim. Sci. 71:3239–3250.
Knap P. W. 2009a. Voluntary feed intake and pig breeding. Pages 11–33 in Voluntary feed intake in pigs. D. Torrallardona and E. Roura, eds. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
Knap P. W. 2009b. Allocation of resources to maintenance. Pages 110–129 in Resource allocation theory applied to farm animal production. W.M. Rauw, ed. CAB International, Wallingford, UK.
Kolath, W. H., M. S. Kerley, J. W. Golden, and D. H. Keisler. 2006. The relationship between mitochondrial function and residual feed intake in Angus steers. J. Anim. Sci. 84:861–865.
Lefaucheur, L., B. Lebret, P. Ecolan, I. Louveau, M. Damon, A. Prunier, Y. Billon, P. Sellier, and H. Gilbert. 2011. Muscle characteristics and meat quality traits are affected by divergent selection on residual feed intake in pigs. J. Anim. Sci. 89:996–1010.
Lehninger, A. L., D. L. Nelson, and M. M. Cox. 1993. Principles of biochemistry. 2nd ed. Worth Publishers, New York NY, USA.
Luiting, P., J. H. J. van der Werf, and T. H. E. Meuwissen. 1992. Proof of equivalence of selection indices containing traits adjusted for each other. Page 146 in Proc. 43rd Ann. Meet. Eur. Assoc. Anim. Prod., Madrid, Spain.
McDonald, J. M., J. J. Ramsey, J. L. Miner, and M. K. Nielsen. 2009. Differences in mitochondrial efficiency between lines of mice divergently selected for heat loss. J. Anim. Sci. 87:3105–3113.
Meunier-Salaün, M. C., C. Guèrin, Y. Billon, A. Priet, P. Sellier, and H. Gilbert. 2011. Sélection divergente sur la consommation moyenne journalière résiduelle chez le porc en croissance: caractéristiques phénotypiques de l’activité physique et comportementale des porcs en fonction de la lignée et du sexe. Communication BE02 in Proc. 43rd Journees de la Recherche Porcine, Paris, France.
Newman S., L. Wang, J. Anderson, and D. Casey. 2010. Utilizing crossbred records to increase accuracy of breeding values in pigs. Communication 0632 in Proc. 9th World Congr. Genet. Appl. Livest. Prod., Leipzig, Germany.
Ojano-Dirain, C. P., M. Iqbal, D. Cawthon, S. Swonger, T. Wing, M. Cooper, and W. Bottje. 2004. Determination of mitochondrial function and site-specific defects in electron transport in duodenal mitochondria in broilers with low and high feed efficiency. Poult. Sci. 83:1394–1403.
Sadler, L. J., A. K. Johnson, S. M. Lonergan, D. Nettleton, and J. C. M. Dekkers. 2011. The effect of selection for residual feed intake on general behavioral activity and the occurrence of lesions in Yorkshire gilts. J. Anim. Sci. 89:258–266.
Sellers, H. I. 1981. Selection for feed efficiency. Pages 55–60 in Proc. Conf. Nat. Swine Impr. Fed., Des Moines IA, USA.
Smith, R. M., N. K. Gabler, J. M. Young, W. Cai, N. J. Boddicker, M. J. Anderson, E. Huff-Lonergan, J. C. Dekkers, and S. M. Lonergan. 2011. Effects of selection for decreased residual feed intake on composition and quality of fresh pork. J. Anim. Sci. 89:192–200.
Wei, M., and J. H. J van der Werf. 1994. Maximizing genetic response in crossbreds using both purebred and crossbred information. Anim. Prod. 59:401–413.
Young, J.M. and J.C.M. Dekkers, 2012. The genetic and biological basis of residual feed intake as a measure of feed efficiency. Pages 153–166 in Feed efficiency in swine. J.F. Patience, ed. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
Young, J. M., R. Bergsma, E. F. Knol, J. F. Patience, and J. C. M. Dekkers. 2010. Effect of selection for residual feed intake on sow reproductive performance and lactation efficiency. Communication 0223 in Proc. 9th World Congr. Genet. Appl. Livest. Prod., Leipzig, Germany.
Young J. M., W. Cai, and J. C. M. Dekkers. 2011. Effect of selection for residual feed intake on feeding behavior and daily feed intake patterns in Yorkshire swine. J. Anim. Sci. 89:639–647.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Wageningen Academic Publishers The Netherlands
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Knap, P.W., Wang, L. (2012). Pig breeding for improved feed efficiency. In: Patience, J.F. (eds) Feed efficiency in swine. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen. https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-756-1_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-756-1_8
Publisher Name: Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen
Online ISBN: 978-90-8686-756-1
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)
