BREED DIFFERENCES AND HETEROSIS IN TEAT NUMBER OF LANDRACE, LARGE WHITE AND THEIR F1 CROSSES

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate breed differences and heterosis in the number of teats from 5,788 performance-tested pigs (1,663 boars and 4,125 gilts) belonging to Landrace (LDR), Large White (LRW), F1 LDR x LRW crosses, and R1 LRW x LDR crosses produced from 2016 to 2018 in a local nucleus/multiplier breeding farm. The average number of the left, right, and total teats was 6.72, 6.70, and 13.42, respectively. Teat number was positively correlated (P<0.01) with body length at the end of test (r = 0.06 to 0.09). Teat number was not affected (P>0.05) by gender and backfat thickness. Large White pigs had significantly (P<0.05) more total teats than Landrace pigs by 0.29 teat. The R1 LRW x LDR crossbred pigs had more (P<0.05) total teats than F1 LDR x LRW cross by 0.48 teat. Heterosis estimates in F1 crosses were 1.04%, 0.45%, and 2.25% equivalent to additional 0.07 teat, 0.03 teat, and 0.30 teat for the number of the left, right and total teats, respectively. While teat number can be improved within a breed by selection, teat number may also be improved by heterosis resulting from the production of F1 crosses.