D4-Lancaster Fanning Saturday, June 22,1991
Swine
Management
News
BREEDING LEAN
HOGS GAINS
FATTER PROFITS
Dr. Richard Barczewski
Extension Agent
U. of Delaware
For some producers, decisions
on which animals to keep and
which to cull can be difficult
These are individual judgments
that should be based on the overall
plan and goals you have for your
swine operation.
During the past few months,
many producers have felt the
impact of the new Hatfield Pack
ing plant pricing structure, which
offers premium prices for animals
with leaner carcasses and places
Morton iuuhks
• Horse Barns
• Riding Arenas
• Garages
•Warehouses
#MORTON BUILDINGS, INC.
3368 York Rd.
Gettysburg,
PA 17325
717/624-3331
Call or write today
for more information
penalties on overly fat hogs.
Since that time, I’ve heard a
number of hog producers discuss
this initiative. Of course, produc
ers of leaner hogs are happy with
the incentive program, but produc
ers of fatter hogs began to explore
alternative markets. While seeking
other options makes sense in the
short term, hog producers eventu
ally must face the fact that most
packing houses will fall in line
with Hatfield and reward produc
ers of leaner hogs.
This makes culling decisions
based on leanness more important
than ever. Selection and genetics
are the most important considera
tions in your ability to improve
Since 1903
• Offices
• Shops
• Equipment Storage
• Aircraft Hangars
Excellence Since 1903
CONTACT:
1-800-447-7436
P.O. Box 126,
Phillipsburg,
NH 08865
908/454-7900
Illinois only, call
1-800-426-6686
your livestock. And i( doesn’t hap
pen overnight. It takes time and
planned effort on your part to
achieve better carcass traits.
Improvement for any trait
depends on several factors. First is
the variation that exists for a given
trait between the parents and the
herd. For example, if you are
selecting for backifat thickness and
the sow and the boar you are mat
ing averaged 1.2 inches at the last
rib at 230 pounds, you can expect
their offspring to be leaner than the
herd average, even though the sow
and boar are out of the same herd.
The second factor to be consid
ered is that all traits are not equally
inherited. Heritability for a specif
ic trait is usually expressed as a
percentage. This percentage is
indicative of the amount of varia
tion in a trait that can be inherited.
Swine reproductive traits are gen
erally considered to have low her
itability. Litter size at birth has a
heritability of IS percent, litter size
at weaning is 12 percent, and litter
weight at weaning is 17 percent.
Proven Solid Steel Rod Bow
Bar Crate w/Front Arch
Solid Steel Rod
Gestation Stalls
Solid Steel
Breeding Penning
WE CAN CUSTOM FABRICATE EQUIPMENT TO MEET
YOUR NEEDS - AT A PRICE YOU CAN AFFORD
Performance rates are generally
considered to be medium in their
heritability. Daily gain from wean
ing to market weight has a herita
bility of 30 percent, while feed
efficiency is 30 percent inherited.
The greatest gains in inheritance
can be obtained with carcass traits.
Body weight has a heritability of
60 percent while fatback thick
ness, loin-eye area, and percent
lean cuts (based on carcass weight)
are SO percent inheritable. This is
an advantage to Hog producers
who are making the move toward
leaner hogs because improvements
can be achieved more rapidly.
One final factor in the selection
process is the variation that exists
within a population. If wide varia
tion exists, then producers have the
potential to get outstanding indivi
dual animals for their breeding
programs. If little variation exists
for a given trait, only a few will be
able to achieve superior individual
animals for their breeding
programs.
As a herd approaches the upper
limits of variations within a popu
lation of animals, improvements
will be harder to come by because
M
Ik
'ilia
i
"A -
1^"
/
Need Your
Farm Buildings
Painted?
Let us give you a price!
Write: Daniel’s Painting
637-A Georgetown Rd.
RonkS, PA 17572
(or leave message)
(717) 687-8262
Spray on and
Brush in Painting
Round Bottom Stainless Proctor Hydraulic
Steel Sow Feeders Crate Prevents Crushing
Stainless Steel Feed
& Water Troughs
T {. M
Solid Steel
Nursery Penning
WE
m
afi
m
the differences between the herd
and selected individuals in the
mating program will be smaller.
The good news is that producers
who are unable to get incentives
for the hogs they market should
find it easier to obtain boars that
have the potential of positively
influencing their breeding prog
ram. These production-tested
boars may cost a little more
money, but improvements made
should go a long way to returning
those costs to the operation. Pro
ducers who currently command
incentive payments for their hogs
w meed to look harder for quality
boars that are better than the herd
average in order to continue to
make improvements.
While it has been the practice of
many farms in the past to restrict
selection decisions for improve
ment on the boar alone, considera
tion can be given to the gilt pool.
Use a fatback probe to select
female replacements that are the
leaner animals in your herd. Faster
gains can be realized if you are
able to select carcass traits in both
your boars and sows.
Surprise Sow
Feeding Systems
Solid Steel
Finishing Penning