Breeding approaches in the formation and further improvement of the Red white-belted breed of meat pigs

Abstract

Goal. To conduct a comprehensive analysis of the selection processes that had taken place in the population of the Red white-belted breed of meat pigs since its formation, to study the peculiarities of development and productive qualities of pigs of the domestic gene pool. To check the obtained results for compliance with the target direction of the breed — use as a parent form in regional breeding systems. Methods. They conducted a comprehensive population analysis at the level of the domestic population in the population of the Red white-belted breed of meat pigs from the time of its formation to the modern period. During the selection process, methods of purebred breeding, crossing, and hybridization were used. Results. It was confirmed that the creation of the breed was started in 1976 in the conditions of the experimental base of the Poltava Research Institute of Swine Breeding and the specialized pig breeding farm named after the newspaper “Molod Ukrainy” (Drabiv district, Cherkasy oblast), with subsequent distribution to pig enterprises in regions of the country. More than two thousand purebred and crossbred pigs of different ages and sexes were assessed. Out of 12 farms where pigs of the created population were bred, 9 corresponded to the status of breeding farm or breeding manufacturer. As a result of combinations of the “Poltava factory” type of meat pigs (PM1), created based on a crossbreed of 5 breeds: Great White, Myrhorod, Pietren, Landrace and Wessex-Sedelbeck, as well as based on Durok and Hampshire breeds, i.e. based on 7 genotypes of domestic and foreign origin, a specialized line, and a specialized type was successively created, and at the end of the selection process — a new Red white-belted breed of meat pigs. Conclusions. The use of boars of the new population in combination with purebred and crossbred sows contributes to the increase of 3-17% in individual signs of the productivity of the maternal animals and the fattening and meat qualities of the offspring. It had been established that every year for each herd, the assessment of pigs was carried out with the performance of a comparative analysis of indicators of their development and productivity by farms. Animals of the new population were used in a breed test.