MODULE III

BREEDS, BREEDING AND SELECTION

WHAT THIS MODULE IS ALL ABOUT

This module deals with the different breeds of swine introduce in the Philippines and the
breeding systems to be used. The breeding stocks are a critical input and improving the quality of
stock requires a planned selection and sound breeding program. You cannot plan a suitable
breeding program. You cannot plan a suitable breeding program without knowing the various
breeds of swine. This module will equip the reader/student with such technical know-how.
Likewise, this module will assist you in identifying breeds of swine. Reader of this module will
also be guided on the appropriate breeding systems for various types of swine.
OBJECTIVES
After reading/studying this module, the student should be able to:
1. Identify the different breeds of swine by body characteristics;
2. Describe the different breeding systems of swine;
3. Select high quality breeding stocks and feeder stocks using accepted criteria;
4. Give a brief summary of the origin and development of synthetic breeds of swine
5. Enumerate the different methods of selection and how animals are improved; and
6. Describe the different criteria in culling.

A. Introduction:

There are numbers of swine in the country today and it is sometimes difficult to
determine the best breeds that are adopted under local conditions. Of the various breeds no
one can claim to be ideal under all conditions. It is necessary therefore to evaluate the
merits and the undesirable characteristics of the following breeds of swine before making
the final choice that is likely to prove most suitable for prove most suitable for our purpose.

A breed is a group of animals that have specific characteristics in common, thus,

mating within the breed produces progeny that maintains the same sets of characteristics.
They are generally pure enough to have similar external characteristics in terms of color
and body conformation. The breeds of pigs can be differentiated through the following
characteristics:

• Color : White, black, red, spotted, etc.

• Size : Large, Small, medium, Erect, droopy/hanging, etc.
• Back Line :Arching shape, swaying, straight, etc.
• Snout :Long, short, dished,etc.

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 B. Common Breeds of Swine:
The different common breeds of swine very much adapted under local conditions
are as follows:

1. Large White/Yorkshire- This breed originated from England. However, there are
several strains of Yorkshire today, the American, the Canadian, The Danish and
others. The different strains vary from one another. Generally, however, they
possess also distinct characteristics. The breed is white in color. The face is
slightly dished and the ears are erect. Yorkshire sow have been proven to be one
of the most superior breeds in mothering ability. They not only farrow and wean
large litters, but they are also excellent milkers.

2. Landrace- this breed originated from Denmark. However, there are several strains
of Landrace today, the American, the Norwegian and the Swedish Landrace. The
breed is white on color with a long body having 16 to 17 pairs of ribs. The ears
are large and droopy. The neck and body are long and narrow in the withers and
brisket. The soware noted for their excellence in litter size and mothering ability.
They are heavy milkers and produce pigs with superior rate of growth and
efficiency in food utilization. However, they are weak on the feet and legs.

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 3. Duroc- This was originally called the Duroc- Jersey and it’s originated from the
Northeastern part and from the Corn Belt of the United States. The breed is red
in color, with the shades varying from light to dark. The ears are medium in size,
set forward, 1/3 erects and 1/3 droppings. The sows are prolific and good mothers.
They produce pigs that are superior in growth rate and feed conversion and
perform under rugged conditions better that any of the white breeds.

4. Hampshire- This breed originated from England. However, this breed was
developed and improved in Kentucky USA. The most striking characteristics of
the Hampshire is the White belt around the shoulder and the body, including the
forelegs. In US this breed is considered as the leanest breed but not a heavy as
the other breeds. They are generally long legged and lacking in body thickness.
Growth rate of the breed has generally been average. However, the breed is
adapted to rugged conditions.

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 5. Berkshire- This breed originated from England in the countries of Berkshire and
Wiltshire. The breed is black in color with six white points, four white feet, some
white in the face and a white switch on the tail. The face is dished and broad
between the eyes. The ears are medium in size, set well apart, erect and inclined
forward. This breed lacks good growth and efficiency in converting feed to
weight gain.

6. Poland- this breed was formally called Poland China and was developed chiefly
in Southern Ohio (USA). The color of Poland is similar Berkshire. The breed is
black in color with six white points.- four white feet., some white in the face and
a white switch on the tail. The ears are medium in size and slightly drooping and
the snout is long and pointed. They are rugged but not grow as fast as the other
breeds.

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 7. Philippine Native pig- The native Pig is generally small and late maturing with
dominantly black in color in both hair and skin with occasional white markings.
Young piglets may have horizontal brown stripes on the body that disappears
with age. Some pigs may have spotted hair coats which are commonly a
combination of white, black and/or brown. Native pigs are commonly described
as short both in height and length, narrow-bodied, potbellied and with
sagging/sway back. The legs are short with all toes touching the ground when
standing. They have long and pointed snout with small and erect ears. Some of
the strains of native pigs are the black Ilocos in Northern Philippines. The Kaman
and Diani in Batangas Province, Koronadal Cotabato and the Berkjala strain
developed by breeders of UPLB thru upgrading using Jalajala pigs in Rizal. The
pig is however, has already gone in extinction.

8. Pietrain- This breed was developed from Belgium. The color is spotted black and
white. It has well-shaped hams, meaty shoulder and very good proportion of total
lean to fat. This breed however are slow growers compared to other breed with
relatively poor in feed conversion.

C. List of other purebreds

a. Spotted
b. Limousine
c. Chester White
d. Hereford
e. Tamworth
f. Large black
g. Chinese taihu pigs

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 h. Funjiang
i. Meishen
j. Jianxiang black
k. Erhualian
D. UPGRADES
a. Kaman
b. Diani
c. Berkjala
d. Miracle pig

E. SYNTHETIC BREEDS (HYBRIDS)

These are hybrid pigs produced through genetic engineering; which aims to
take advantage of heterosis. Several commercial breeders have developed hybrid pigs using
a terminal sire with two-line crossbred gilt. Others have utilized a complete four-line
synthetic hybridization program, which claims to be better in exploiting heterosis. In either
case, synthetic hybridization involves the application of comprehensive testing procedure,
usually computer aided, to evaluate the genetic quality of the purebreds. Technical
expertise and material resources are, therefore, required by this scheme.

Most hybrids introduce in the country do not have distinguished physical

characteristics, which may differentiate them from other breeds. Most of them, however,
are white with good muscle development. Reported, hybrid sows are highly prolific, have
better fertility, bigger and more uniform litter and heavier piglet weight at birth. Slaughter
hybrid pigs, on the other outstanding in terms of growth rate, feed conversion efficiency
and carcass quality.

Some of the synthetic breeds introduced in the country are as follows:

1. Hypor- This breed was developed from four “synthetic” lines from carefully selected
stock by EURIBRID, Europe’s leading animal breeding organization. Hypor sows have
excellent fertility, outstanding body conformation, well muscled back, well developed
ham and superior carcass quality. Reports indicated that on the average the sows
produce 2.1 litters per year of 10.8 pigs/litters at births and 9.6 pigs at weaning.
2. Seighers- This breed was developed from Belgium using four different lines. The color
is white with ocassional black spots. It has well developed and medium to large
drooping ears. It has been proven that seighers has superior mothering ability and
excellent milking capacity and meat quality. It has also high growth rate and feed
efficiency but has weak legs with difficult in adapting to rugged conditions.
3. Babcock- This breed was developed in USA using different strains. The color is
entirely white with fairly long body. The sow is a good mother but can’t adapt well to
high temperature.

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 4. Cotswold- the breed was developed in United Kingdom using three breeds/lines. The
color is dominantly white with medium ears pointing forward. The sow produces big
litter size and is a good mother.
5. Nieuw Dalland- This breed was developed by a group of breeding companies called
TOPIGS (Dalland) in the Netherlands. This breed is white in color with medium ears.
6. Camborough- The breed was developed by PIC. Camborough is known for its docile
temperament, good mothering ability to rear large numbers of lean fast growing piglets
and stress negative.
F. Factors to consider in selecting breeding stock
After familiarizing/knowing the characteristics of the different breeds of swine available
in the country, you are now ready to select the most suitable breed to raised. The following
factors may guide you in selecting your stocks.
• Availability of good breeding stock.
• Market demand and initial cost.
• Experience in raising swine.
• Personal likes and dislikes.
• Availability of feeds.
• Disease resistance and adoptability
• Reproductive performance.
• Carcass quality.

G. Selecting breeding gilts/sow

Traditionally, swine raisers select their stock based on the outward appearance. However,
the present practice now is to select breeding animals based on performance (Genetic Base)
complimented with the animal appearance (Physical base). Always remember that
performance of animals is determined by the interactions between the genetic make up and
the environment.

When selecting breeding swine, give particular attention to the following qualities:

• Litter size at birth at weaning. Select only from a litter of at least 8 pigs or more at
weaning.
• Size: Always make it a point to select the biggest and heaviest pig within a litter.
• Mammary Development: Gilts should have atleast 6 pairs of well develop teats and
properly spaced.
• Healthy and free from physical defects: The pig should be healthy and free from
inherited abnormalities like hernia, cryptorchidism, absence of anus or atresia anil.
Inverted teats/nipple and other abnormalities.
• Good conformation-the pig should have good conformation, neat and trim in head,
wide loin, reasonable body length, strong back and breed or well-rounded ham.

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 Long body provides more space for under development and consequently prevent
overcrowding of piglets.
• Feet and legs: The pig must have round and well-shaped feed and legs. It has been
observed that pigs with long pastern are weak. Therefore, select pigs with medium
short feet and short upright pattern.
• High growth rate food efficiency and good carcass quality. This means that the
pigs must reach marketable weight at an early marketable age through the efficient
utilization feed. A good carcass quality is a desirable character trait which is
considered important from the viewpoint of marketing slaughter pigs.
• Mothering Ability: This trait highly heritable and this contributes much on the size
and weight of the litter at weaning, though this is partly influenced by management.
This trait is demonstrated by the continuousness of the sow and care it takes when
lying down, getting up or when moving around in the pen among piglets in its litter
and by the long time and patience it gives when nursing the litter.

H. Selecting the Boar:

Selecting the right boar is as important as selecting a gilt o sow because in all swine form,
the boar is mated to several sows, to transmit his characteristics to many offspring during
his productive life. Most of the above factors/quality discussed in connection with the
selection of boar. However, you have to consider the following pointers:
1. Sex characteristics: Masculinity both in appearance and action should predominate in
the make-up of any boar. The testicle should be well-develop, hanging uniformly and
are equal in size. Do not select boar that have umbilical or scrotal hernias. Select boars
that are aggressive and show a desire to mate.
2. Age: Selection of boar should be done from 4-6 months of age however the best is to
select a boar which has been proven and tested for fertility. Boars therefore should be
used at 8 months or older.
3. Traits to overcome defects: in the herd, before selecting a boar, determine the weakness
of the gilts and sows in the herd so that proper adjustment can be made.
4. Behavior: Behavioral traits are those characteristics that express themselves as docility,
temperament, maturity and aggressiveness. These are associated with reproductive
potential.
5. Semen quality: Boars should be able to produce semen which are creamy in color with
good quality motile sperm cells. Around 16-120 billion of sperm cells are produced per
ejaculation.

I. Culling
Culling is the removal of unwanted animals in the herd. Even if you select your foundation
stock rigidly, this is always a tendency for some of the selected animals to fall short of
expectation. Some might not grow reproduce as expectably, others may show some defects
which were absent at the time of selection. Still others will simply outlive their usefulness
in the breeding herd.

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 To improve the herd and increase the herd and increase the margin of profit, cull or remove
undesirable/unwanted animals from the herd as soon as they are found to be uneconomical
to keep. The following are guides in culling:

1. Reproductive failures: Some gilts or sow do not come into heat despite proper and
feeding and management. Others simply do not conceive even after two or more
meeting with proven boars.
2. Poor maternal Instinct. A good sow usually protects their piglets against predators.
3. Poor milkers: A sow that does not produce enough milk for the weeks from the
farrowing for 8 more piglets in a litter should be removed.
4. Foot and legs problem: Strong feet and legs are desirable. Breeding animals that cannot
stand long during mating should be removed.
5. Poor litter size: Low litter size despite good feeding and management is enough reason
to consider them for culling.
6. Low fecundity: a sow with long dry periods and does not reproduce at least two
litters/year is a “profit eater”.
7. Occurrence of abnormal defects: Gilts and boars producing defects should be culled.
8. Damage udder section: Injured section left unbreaked spreads rapidly to other section
of the under leaving only a few functional teats for the next lactation.
9. Diseases: Leptospirosis and Brucollosis are diseases commonly associated with
abortion.
10. Runts: Stunted pigs should be separated/culled/disregard for lechon.

J. Methods of Selection
Selection of animals for genetic improvement may be based on the phenotype and genotype
expression. Phenotypes are the observable, visible and measurable characteristics without
reference to its genetic constitution. Genotype is the individual’s genetic constitution, the
genes contained in an individual. The methods of selection are as follows:
1. Individual Selection- This is the process by which an individual is evaluated on the
basis of individual merit, this is strictly phenotypic in nature. This has the advantage
that you can measure traits of the animal directly if suitable records are kept. Traits like
FCR, daily gain etc can be measured directly however, there are some characteristics
that cannot be measured at selection time like mothering abilities, performance of boars
etc.
2. Pedigree Selection- A pedigree is a record of individual being evaluated including its
ancestors. This is only useful in the selection of animals for breeding purposes if the
performance of the individual animal is not available. This should include the
performance record of the immediate parents of the individual in question.
3. Family Selection-All selection which is based on the performance of related animals
called family selection. This can be regarded as part of pedigree selection. With family
selection, the information can be obtained from several related animals.

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 4. Individual Culling Level- This is method where two or more traits are selected at any
given time using certain sets of minimum standards for every traits. The disadvantages
is that, if one or characteristics is lower than the standard for the animal failed to meet
the standard then the animal is not allowed to reproduce in spite of other good
characteristics it might have. In setting up standard, one should be careful to put the
limit too high. This method is most effective when you are considering few traits at a
time and when you find it necessary to cull many animals and keep a few impressive
ones. (This method is the most commonly used in the country today).
5. Tandem method- this is a method which only one trait is selected at a time. After the
first trait is improved, the next trait is selected for and so on down the line until the last
trait is finally selected for. This method makes it possible to make rapid improvement
in the trait for which selection is being practice. The disadvantage of this method is that
the other trait to be selected must wait and when another trait will be considered for
improvement the first trait selected for may start to deteriorate.

K. Reproductive Phenomena in Swine

There are important events that occur in the life of normal individuals called reproductive
phenomena. This event occurs one after another in cycles. The most important events are
as follows:

1. Puberty. This is also termed as age of maturity. Swine on average reaches their sexual
maturity at five months old or ranges from 3 to 7 months. During this period, the gilt
and boar is already capable of reproduction however; at this stage the gilt is still young
and not yet ready for pregnancy. Gilt should be bred for the first time when they are
around 7-8 months old, must be weighing 120 kilogram live weight and has cycled
atleast twice already.
2. Estrus period/heat period. This is the period when the gilt/sow is very receptive to the
boar or the period when the gilt/sow is looking for the boar and allows itself to be
mounted. This period lasts for 2-5 days or an average of 3 days. Older sows generally
remain in heat longer than gilts due to the stability of hormonal activities. Some sows
do not show outward signs and these animals are called silent heaters.

Phases of the Estrus Period

• Boar Phase 1- Animal stand for the boar but not for the caretaker
• Insemination Phase-Animal will stand for both the boar and the caretaker
• Boar Phase II-Animal will stand for the boar but on the post heat stage
3. Estrus Cycle. It is the period intervening between two successive heat period in the
absence of pregnancy. This event ranges from 18-24 days with an average of 21 days.
This cycle is interrupted by pregnancy. Many environmental factors are known to affect
estrus cycle. It can also be altered with the use of synthetic hormones available in the
market.

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 4. Gestation period. This is the period intervening between conceptions and farrowing,
also known as pregnancy period. The period ranges from 109 to 118 days or 114 on the
average ( 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days).
5. Post Partum estrus- This is the estrus occurring after farrowing but it is considered as
false estrus because it is not accompanied by ovulation. Normally, sows will come in
heat when it has weaned her piglets.
6. Ovulation rate- Ovulation is the shedding of mature ova from the ovaries. The ratio
between the number
7. Conception rate- This is the ratio between the number of pregnant animals and the
number of sows that were bred. If 80 out of 100 sows bred become pregnant, the
conception rate is 8 percent.
L. Systems of Breeding
Breeding systems are systems of mating animals to produce a crossbreed or a purebred. These
are the methods employed by animal breeders in pig improvement. Traits of animals could be
developed and combined using different systems which are as follows:
1. Inbreeding. This refers to the mating of related individuals to produce the next generation.
This system of breeding has been used by animal breeders in the production of seed stock
and in the development of different breed of swine. This system has been responsible to
the fixation/purifying traits that characterized the different breeds or the similarity of the
animals within a group/breed is increased. However, if not properly carried out, it may
result to decreased vigor because it brings together the recessive gene with undesirable
effects. Inbreeding however, is not always disadvantageous, if strict selection is practiced
it maybe useful for eliminating defects. An example of inbreeding is brother x sister
including son x mother and father x daughter.

The effects of inbreeding are:

• Reduced strength and vigor in piglets
• Decreased number of pigs born and weaned
• Decreased birth and weaning weight
• Retarded and delayed sexual maturity
• Reduced ovulation (less eggs ovulated and delayed sperm production)
2. Outbreeding- This refers to the mating of unrelated individual to produce the next
generation. This system of breeding tends to produce litters with hybrid vigor and high
productivity . Outbreeding includes the following:
• Purebreeding. This is the mating of unrelated individual within a breed
commonly for the production of purebreds. This is done to maintain the
production and supply of the breed.
• Crossbreeeding. This is the mating of individual from different breeds. This
system of breeding is commonly used for the production of market hogs. There
are two major objectives for crossbreeding, namely:
1. To bring together desirable characteristics of the different breeds.
2. To make advantage of the so-called hybrid vigor(heterosis).

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 This system is heterozygous individuals in which most pairs of genes contain one
of the dominant genes that influence vigor or heterosis. Heterosis for daily gain, feed efficiency,
Vitality, Milk yield and others. A good examples of crossbreeding is the mating of Largewhite
boar to a Landrace Sow and the Progeny is called crossbreeds. Most of the studies here and abroad
have shown that crossbreeds are superior to purebred animals as far as litter size and weight at
birth and at weaning are concerned. Crossbred sows are better mother than purebreds. Some of the
advantages of crossbreeding are as follows:
• Increased vigor and growth rate of litters
• Larger litter size
• Increased in production efficiency to about 5% to 10%
• Increased disease resistance
c. Triple crossing
This is the mating of crossbreed to the third breed. The procedure is similar to the two bred
cross. The two breed are mated to produce the F1 (crossbreed) then the gilt (F1), is finally
mated to a third breed. This system can be continued on rational basis.
D. Four-way crossing- This is the mating of two crossbred. The first step similar to the two
breeds cross to produce the F1 crossbreeds and the crossbreed gilt and another crossbreed boar
are mated to produce the final breed. The progeny of these crossing is termed hybrid pigs.
Example:

Breeds:
F1 AXB CXD
AB (50/50) X CD (50/50)
F2 ABCD
A is Largewhite
B is Duroc
C is Landrace
D is Poland China

e. Upgrading. This system involves breeding of native pigs with pure-bred pigs like Landrace
or Duroc. The first step is similar to the two breed cross. Select a native female gilt that has
the best trait and mate it to the boar of your preferred foreign breed. From the offspring of
this cross, select again the best female and mate it with another boar of the same as in first
cross. Continue the procedure until the offspring approach the characteristics of a purebred.

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 An example of this breeding method is the mating of a Jalajala native pig in Laguna mated
to an exotic breed called Berkshire. After several mating the progeny was called Berkjala.
This was the product of upgrading work done in UPLB before World War II.

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