Interaction between the Effects of Sex and Inbreeding on 154-Day Weight in Yorkshire Swine

Abstract

The 154-day weights of 461 Yorkshire pigs were analyzed to estimate the effect of sex (barrows vs. gilts), inbreeding (zero vs. 0.33 or 0.49) and the interaction between them. Since the latter seasons had inbred pigs which were more highly inbred than those of earlier seasons (0.49 vs. 0.33), the data were analyzed in two groups. The results in both groups were essentially the same. The average of the two groups indicated that in non-inbred pigs the difference in 154-day weight of group-fed pigs was 17.1 lb. in favor of barrows over gilts. However, this difference narrowed as the degree of inbreeding increased. For each 0.10 increase in inbreeding the decline in 154-day weight was 8.0 lb. for barrows but only 5.7 lb. for gilts. Copyright © 1964. American Society of Animal Science. Copyright 1964 by American Society of Animal Science