Evaluation of a Swine Line Developed at the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Puerto Rico

Abstract

The performance of the pigs of the 3/4 Duroc X 1/4 English Large Black Landrace line developed by the Station was compared with the performance of some imported animals. These imported pigs were from the Duroc, the Yorkshire, and the Hampshire breeds. The comparison and the evaluation of the animals was based on preweaning and postweaning characters. The preweaning characters considered were the number of pigs at farrowing, the number at 21 days, and at weaning age. The rate of gain, the feed efficiency, the back-fat thickness corrected to 200 pounds, and carcass evaluation were considered as postweaning characters. All the data obtained were submitted to analysis of variance and where the F values were significant, they were subjected to a Duncan Multiple Test to determine significance among the means. The overall evaluation of both preweaning and postweaning characters showed that the animals of the 3/4 Duroc X 1/4 English Large Black Landrace line of pigs were as good as any of the animals of the imported breeds with which they were compared, with the possible exception of the carcass evaluation, where the imported breeds gave somewhat better results. They were especially good in the number of pigs weaned, as well as in the weight at weaning time and in rate of gain.