Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/16795
Title: Economic weights for performance and survival traits of growing pigs
Contributor(s): Hermesch, Susanne  (author)orcid ; Ludemann, C I (author); Amer, Peter (author)
Publication Date: 2014
DOI: 10.2527/jas.2014-7944
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/16795
Abstract: The objective of this paper was to derive economic weights for performance and survival traits of growing pigs including feed conversion ratio (FCR), daily feed intake (DFI), ADG, postweaning survival of the growing pig (SG), and carcass fat depth at the P2 site (CFD). An independent model was developed for each trait to derive economic values directly based on a typical Australian production system. This flexible approach may be used to customize economic values for different production systems and alternative trait combinations in breeding objectives. Discounted genetic expressions were used as a means of taking into account differences in frequency and timing of expression of traits to obtain economic weights. Economic values for SG were derived based on a cost-saving and a lost-revenue approach. The correct formulation of the economic value of ADG depends on how feed cost is included in the breeding objective. If FCR is defined as a breeding objective trait, then savings in feed costs through earlier slaughter should not be counted in the economic value of ADG. In contrast, if DFI is included in the breeding objective instead of FCR, then feed-cost savings through earlier slaughter need to be attributed to the economic value for ADG, as a benefit from faster ADG. The paper also demonstrates that economic weightings in indexes for FCR can potentially be overestimated by 70% when it is assumed that DFI or FCR records taken from a limited duration test period reflect the corresponding trait over the full lifetime of the growing pig destined for slaughter. Postweaning survival of the growing pig was the most important breeding objective trait of growing pigs. The relative importance of each breeding objective trait in a sire-line index based on the genetic SD of each trait was 44.5, 27.0, 17.4, and 11.1% for SG, FCR, ADG, and CFD, respectively. Further studies to better clarify the extent of genetic variation that exists in SG under nucleus-farm and commercial-farm conditions are warranted, given the high economic importance of this survival trait of growing pigs.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Source of Publication: Journal of Animal Science, 92(12), p. 5358-5366
Publisher: American Society of Animal Science
Place of Publication: United States of America
ISSN: 1525-3163
0021-8812
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: 070201 Animal Breeding
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: 300305 Animal reproduction and breeding
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: 830308 Pigs
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: 100410 Pigs
Peer Reviewed: Yes
HERDC Category Description: C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal
Appears in Collections:Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit (AGBU)
Journal Article

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