Carcass traits of offsprings of top breeding boars in Estonia
2006
Taenavots, A., Estonian Univ. of Life Sciences, Tartu (Estonia) | Poldvere, A., Estonian Pig Breeding Association, Maerja, Tartu County (Estonia)
Purposeful pig breeding started on 1 March 1923, when the Estonian Pig Breeders' Association was established. The main goal was to arrange pig farming: Herdbook keeping, establishing breeding stations and advisory service. The first pig testing station was founded at Kuremaa in 1931 (Laanmaee, 1994). Since then, breeders' association(s) have become(s) main organizers of pig breeding according to consumer demands. The last pig testing station in Estonia was closed in 2001, and testing of boars was taken over by commercial breeding farms. Measuring of carcass traits requires good cooperation with meat processing companies that are private companies. The crossbreeding program Marble Pork of the Estonian Pig Breeding Association provides measuring of carcass traits of progeny of top boars in slaughterhouse (EPBA, 2005). Unfortunately, these traits are not used to calculate breeding values, but only for describing the general situation of pig breeding. The objectives of this study were to estimate offspring carcasses of top breeding boars and to observe trait changes.
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