Body measurements as related to live weight in swine

Abstract

The length, heart girth, and flank girth of 66 boars and 66 barrows of different breeds and crossbreds were compared with their weight at weaning, and at 84, 112, 140, and 168 days. There were important measurement differences between the breeds. Differences in measurement between the boars and the barrows could be explained by their initial difference at weaning. It was found that accuracy in selecting pigs at an early age for breeding or subsequent rearing can be increased by using the length measurement along with the weight of the animals at weaning to predict weight at 168 days of age. The use of heart or flank measurements does not increase the accuracy of the prediction. The coefficients of correlation and variation for the different measurements are given for the ages studied.