Growth performance and carcass characteristics of progeny from different Topigs Tempo boars

Abstract

The current aim of the pig production industry is to improve production and reproduction efficiency while considering consumer satisfaction with the final product and the means of its production. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the growth performance and carcass characteristics of the progeny from a genetically improved, homospermic Topigs Tempo© boar with that of a standard, heterospermic Topigs Tempo© sire line. Parameters observed in the study included live body mass, P2 backfat thickness, average daily gain, warm carcass mass, cold carcass mass, lean meat percentage, carcass length and carcass compactness. As a sub-objective, the effect of the two methods of insemination on reproductive performance was analysed. The female progeny from the improved boar had heavier body weights (P < 0.001), greater average daily gains (P < 0.01), heavier warm and cold carcass mass, lower lean meat percentage and greater P2 backfat thickness (P < 0.0001) than the female progeny from the standard sire line. The male progeny from the improved boar line performed no better than the male progeny from the standard sire line except for greater warm and cold carcass mass and greater P2 backfat thickness (P < 0.0001). Between sexes, the male progeny from the standard sire line had heavier body weights (P < 0.0001) and greater average daily gains (P < 0.01) than their standard female counterparts while the male progeny from the improved boar performed no better than their improved female counterparts. No difference was observed for warm and cold carcass mass between the male and female progeny for both the standard sire line and improved boar. The female progeny were fatter than the male progeny from the improved boar and the male and female progeny from the improved boar were consistently fatter than the male and female progeny from the standard sire line. The study identified the genetically improved, homospermic Topigs Tempo© boar to affect the growth performance and carcass characteristics of its commercial offspring.