Genetic Evaluation of Prolificacy of Two Local Swine Populations Under a Recording and Testing System on Low-Input Smallholder Mixed Farms in Northern Vietnam

Abstract Text: Pig keeping forms an integral part of low-input farming by smallholders in the uplands of northern Vietnam. Thus, improving pig genetic resources can have a beneficial impact on their livelihoods. In this study prolificacy of two local pig populations under an on-farm recording and performance testing scheme was genetically evaluated. Heritabilities of 0.17 for number of piglets born alive per litter for the Mong Cai breed and 0.08 for the Ban breed, respectively, suggest that genetic variation is sufficient to improve prolificacy by BLUP based selection. Due to the current market situation a community-based breeding program to enhance litter size appears to be more promising for Ban compared with Mong Cai. It is indicated that improving current pedigree recording is one prerequisite for the implementation of a breeding program for the Ban breed.

Keywords:

smallholders

northern Vietnam

pig genetic resources

prolificacy