Tadeusz Blicharski

Effect of Sex Ratio in the Litter in Which Polish Large White and Polish Landrace Sows were Born on the Number of Piglets Born and Reared

Effect of Sex Ratio in the Litter in Which Polish Large White and Polish Landrace Sows were Born on the Number of Piglets Born and Reared The aim of the study was to determine the effect of sex ratio in the litter in which Polish Large White (PLW) and Polish Landrace (PL) sows were born on the number of piglets born and reared to 21 days of age. Results obtained in nucleus herds from one breeding region were analysed. A total of 518 multiparous sows (179 PLW and 339 PL) were evaluated based on data from their litters (790 PLW and 1540 PL litters). The proportion of females in the litter in which the sow was born served as a basis for dividing the females into groups: group 1 <40%, group 2 - 40-50%, group 3 - 50-60%, group 4 - 60-70%, group 5 >70%. Significant differences in the average number of piglets born were found between the groups for PLW sows; compared to sows from groups 1, 2 and 3, females from group 5 gave birth to 8.0% (P≤0.05), 9.4% (P≤0.01) and 6.6% more piglets (P≤0.01), respectively, and compared to sows from group 2, those from group 4 gave birth to 5.1% more piglets (P≤0.05). The average number of piglets born and reared to 21 days by PL sows did not differ significantly between groups. The greater the proportion of females in the litter in which the PLW sow was born, the greater the preweaning mortality of piglets: 0.79, 0.87, 0.99, 1.02 and 1.24 piglets in groups 1 to 5, respectively. Preweaning mortality of PL piglets (0.93, 0.89, 0.81, 0.76 and 0.65 in groups 1 to 5, respectively) decreased with increasing proportion of females in the litter of origin and was lower than that of PLW piglets. It seems appropriate to account for the sex ratio of the litter in which the gilts were born when selecting them as mothers of the next generation as part of herd replacement; this parameter may improve fertility and production efficiency. Wpływ udziału płci w miocie pochodzenia loch rasy wielkiej białej polskiej i polskiej białej zwisłouchej na liczbę prosiąt urodzonych i odchowanych Celem pracy była ocena wpływu udziału płci w miocie pochodzenia loch rasy wielkiej białej polskiej i polskiej białej zwisłouchej na liczbę prosiąt urodzonych i odchowanych do 21. dnia życia. Analizowano wyniki uzyskane w stadach zarodowych z jednego rejonu hodowlanego. W ocenie loch wieloródek - 179 rasy wbp i 339 rasy pbz - podstawą były informacje pozyskane dla pochodzących od nich miotów; łącznie było to 790 miotów wbp i 1540 pbz. Udział osobników płci żeńskiej w miocie pochodzącym od lochy-matki był podstawą podziału samic na grupy: grupa 1 <40%, 2 - 40-50%, 3 - 50-60%, 4 - 60-70%, 5 >70%. Dla loch wbp wykazano między grupami istotne różnice w średniej liczbie prosiąt urodzonych; samice z grupy 5 w porównaniu do loch z grup 1, 2 i 3 urodziły więcej prosiąt, odpowiednio o: 8,0% (P≤0,05), 9,4% (P≤0,01), 6,6% (P≤0,01), a z grupy 4 vs. 2 o 5,1% (P≤0,05). Średnia liczba prosiąt urodzonych i odchowanych do 21. dnia przez lochy pbz nie różniła się istotnie pomiędzy grupami. Im większy był udział samic w miocie pochodzenia loch rasy wbp, tym większe były upadki prosiąt w czasie odchowu; w grupach 1-5 odpowiednio: 0,79, 0,87, 0,99, 1,02, 1,24 szt. Dla rasy pbz przy zwiększającym się udziale samic w miocie pochodzenia upadki prosiąt podczas odchowu przy matkach malały, przy czym ich poziom był mniejszy niż dla rasy wbp; w grupach 1-5 wyniosły odpowiednio: 0,93, 0,89, 0,81, 0,76, 0,65 szt. Wydaje się uzasadnione uwzględnienie udziału płci w miocie pochodzenia loszek przy ich wyborze na przyszłe matki w ramach prowadzonego remontu stada; cecha ta może poprawiać płodność i efektywność produkcji.

Effect of a diet enriched with omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids on the pig liver transcriptome.

The optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is important for keeping the homeostasis of biological processes and metabolism, yet the underlying biological mechanism is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to identify changes in the pig liver transcriptome induced by a diet enriched with omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids and to characterize the biological mechanisms related to PUFA metabolism.Polish Landrace pigs (n = 12) were fed diet enriched with linoleic acid (LA, omega-6) and α-linolenic acid (ALA, omega-3) or standard diet as a control. The fatty acid profiling was assayed in order to verify how feeding influenced the fatty acid content in the liver, and subsequently next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEG) between transcriptomes between dietary groups. The biological mechanisms and pathway interaction networks were identified using DAVID and Cytoscape tools. Fatty acid profile analysis indicated a higher contribution of PUFAs in the liver for LA- and ALA-enriched diet group, particularly for the omega-3 fatty acid family, but not omega-6. Next-generation sequencing identified 3565 DEG, 1484 of which were induced and 2081 were suppressed by PUFA supplementation. A low ratio of omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids resulted in the modulation of fatty acid metabolism pathways and over-representation of genes involved in energy metabolism, signal transduction, and immune response pathways.In conclusion, a diet enriched with omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids altered the transcriptomic profile of the pig liver and would influence animal health status.

Effect of selenium supplementation in pig feed on slaughter value and physicochemical and sensory characteristics of meat.

Abstract The aim of the study was to examine the assimilability of organic and inorganic selenium supplied as an additive to pig feed. The influence of both selenium forms on pig slaughter value as well as on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of meat was also examined (experiment I). An attempt to establish the distribution of selenium in the body of experimental fatteners was made (experiment II). Experiment I was performed on 20 carcasses of crossbred pigs of (Polish Large White × Polish Landrace) × Duroc genotype and experiment II was carried out on 45 samples of longissimus and semimembranosus muscles taken from fatteners of the same genotype (PLW × PL × Duroc). The results obtained indicated that selenium supplementation in the diet had no impact on slaughter performance, meat quality and most physicochemical and sensory characteristics of meat. Selenium was found to have no significant effect on meat colour. The meat water holding capacity (WHC) was lower in the group of pigs fed organic selenium. The highest selenium concentration was found in the semimembranosus muscle of fatteners receiving the inorganic selenium additive.

Consumer facial expression in relation to smoked ham with the use of face reading technology. The methodological aspects and informative value of research results.

The study determined the emotional reactions of consumers in relation to hams using face visualization method, which was recorded by FaceReader (FR). The aims of the research were to determine the effect of the ham samples on the type of emotion, to examine more deeply the individual emotional reactions of consumers and to analyse the emotional variability with regard to the temporal measurement of impressions. The research involved testing the effectiveness of measuring emotions in response to the ongoing flavour impression after consumption of smoked hams. It was found that for all of the assessed samples, neutral and negative emotions prevailed as the overall emotions recorded during the assessment of the taste/flavour impression. The range of variability of the overall emotions depended more on the consumer reactions and less on the properties of the assessed product. Consumers expressed various emotions in time and the ham samples evoked different emotional reactions as an effect of duration of the impression.

A porcine gluteus medius muscle genome-wide transcriptome analysis: dietary effects of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids on biological mechanisms

BackgroundThe level of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids can affect many cellular systems and function via nuclear receptors or the bioactive lipid regulation of gene expression. The objective of this study was to investigate changes in the muscle transcriptome and the biological functions regulated by increased consumption of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the pig gluteus medius muscle.ResultsThe transcriptome of the gluteus medius muscle was studied for pigs subjected to either a control diet or a diet supplemented with linseed and rapeseed oil to increase polyunsaturated fatty acid content. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to generate the muscle tissue transcriptome database pointing differentially expressed genes (DEG). Comparative expression analyses identified 749 genes significantly differing at least in the twofold of change between two groups of animals fed with divergent level of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The expression of 219 genes was upregulated, and the expression of 530 genes was downregulated in the group of pigs supplemented with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in relation to control group pigs. Results of RNA-seq indicated a role of fatty acid in the regulation of the expression of genes which are essential for muscle tissue development and functioning. Functional analysis revealed that the identified genes were important for a number of biological processes including inflammatory response, signaling, lipid metabolism, and homeostasis.ConclusionsSummarizing, obtained results provide strong evidence that omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids regulate fundamental metabolic processes in muscle tissue development and functioning.

A Canonical Correlation Analysis of Relationships Between Growth, Compositional Traits and Longevity, Lifetime Productivity and Efficiency in Polish Landrace Sows

Abstract Relationships between performance test traits (growth rate, backfat thickness, loin depth, lean meat percentage, exterior, phenotypic selection index) and longevity traits (length of productive life, number of litters, total number of weaned pigs, number of weaned piglets per year, number of litters per year) in Landrace sows were evaluated using canonical correlation analysis. The data set consisted of 23,012 purebred sows that farrowed from 1994 to 2011 in 161 herds. The first three canonical correlations (0.37, 0.25, 0.07) were highly significant (P<0.0001). Correlations of the first canonical variate with the original measured variables indicated that sows with high values for this variate had lower growth rate (r=-0.31) and loin depth (r=-0.43), greater backfat thickness (r=0.23), as well as being older at birth of their last litter (r=0.98). These sows also had a greater number of litters (r=0.94) and better lifetime efficiency (r=0.61 and r=0.70 for number of weaned piglets per year and number of litters per year, respectively). Canonical loadings for the second canonical function indicate that sows with high values for the second set of variates had high growth rate (r=0.79) and phenotypic selection index (r=0.83), excellent conformation (r=0.62), as well as better efficiency in pig production (r=0.67). The squared multiple correlations show that the first canonical variate of the performance traits is a poor predictor of longevity (0.13) and nearly useless for predicting efficiency traits (0.07). Performance test traits explain 11% of the variance in the variables of longevity and lifetime productivity, whereas dependent variables explain only 3% of the variance in performance test traits. The relationships between performance test data and subsequent lifetime productivity or longevity were significant and unfavourable but low for Polish Landrace population

18. Estimation of Meat Content in the Carcasses of Young Pigs Based on Performance Testing of Live Animals and Carcass Evaluation

Abstract The aim of the study was to develop new equations for the estimation of meat percentage in the carcasses of young pigs, based on examination of the current pig population. In addition, new regression equations were constructed to predict the weight of meat in primal cuts. In both cases, the estimates were based on performance testing of live animals and post-slaughter evaluation of carcass traits in these animals. The study was conducted on 654 gilts of six breeds. Performance testing of live animals and carcass evaluation were performed at the Pig Testing Station (SKURTCh). Performance records in live animals included body weight (BW [kg]), age (A [days]), daily weight gain (DG [g/day]), and ultrasonic measurements, using a Piglog 105 ultrasound apparatus: backfat thickness at P2 and P4 and loin eye height P4M (at P4). Then the gilts were slaughtered and, after being chilled for 24 hours at 4°C, the right half-carcass was dissected into primal cuts. These cuts were then subjected to detailed dissection, which provided the basis for determination of the weight of meat in the primal cuts E2 [kg] and meat percentage in the carcass E1 [%]. An array of linear models based on multiple regression was constructed to estimate meat percentage in the carcass [%] and weight of meat in primal cuts [kg]. It was found that the developed linear regression equations for all breeds, which estimated meat content in the carcass based on three variables (classical model: P2, P4 and P4M), were characterised by the following values of standard error of the estimate RSE and correlation coefficient R: for E1[%], RSE=3.33; R=0.63; for E2 [kg], RSE=1.65; R=0.58. The addition to the classical model of a variable describing the breed greatly improved the parameters of the equation predictive of E1 (RSE=3.02; R=0.71). The model predictive of E2 was obtained by the addition of two variables: breed and carcass weight on the day of measurement (RSE=1.37; R=0.73). In general, the present studies indicate that equations estimating the weight of meat in a carcass (E2 [kg]) based on performance testing of live animals are characterised by a much lower value of standard error (RSE) than equations estimating meat percentage in the carcass of the same pigs (E1[%]), including those currently used in practice.

Prediction of carcass meat percentage in young pigs using linear regression models and artificial neural networks.

Abstract One of the approaches to improving performance testing of pigs is to look for mathematical solutions to increase the accuracy of calculations. This is mainly done through improvement of linear regression equations based on current data on performance tested pigs in Poland. The advances in computer technology and the improvements in mathematical analysis have made it possible to use artificial neural networks (ANNs) for prediction of carcass meat percentage in young pigs. The aim of the study was to compare the potential for live estimation of carcass meat percentage in pigs using two computational methods: linear regression equations and ANNs. The experiment used 654 gilts of six breeds, which were subjected to performance testing and slaughter analysis at the Pig Performance Testing Station (SKURTCh). The collected data were used to train ANNs to estimate carcass meat percentage in young pigs. Training was performed using the Levenberg- Marquardt algorithm. Next, meatiness estimated by ANNs was compared with the results obtained using linear modelling. It is concluded that based on the fattening and slaughter performance test results of live pigs, artificial neural networks (SSN23) are significantly more accurate in estimating carcass meat percentage in young pigs compared to the three-variable linear regression model 1. The difference in meatiness estimation between SSN23 and the four-variable linear regression model 2 was statistically non-significant in most of the breeds except Duroc and Pietrain, where the meatiness of young animals was estimated more accurately by the linear regression model.

A genome-wide detection of selection signatures in conserved and commercial pig breeds maintained in Poland

BackgroundIdentification of selection signatures can provide a direct insight into the mechanism of artificial selection and allow further disclosure of the candidate genes related to the animals’ phenotypic variation. Domestication and subsequent long-time selection have resulted in extensive phenotypic changes in domestic pigs, involving a number of traits, like behavior, body composition, disease resistance, reproduction and coat color. In this study, based on genotypes obtained from PorcineSNP60 Illumina assay we attempt to detect both diversifying and within-breed selection signatures in 530 pigs belonging to four breeds: Polish Landrace, Puławska, Złotnicka White and Złotnicka Spotted, of which the last three are a subject of conservative breeding and substantially represent the native populations.ResultsA two largely complementary statistical methods were used for signatures detection, including: pairwise FST and relative extended haplotype homozygosity (REHH) test. Breed-specific diversifying selection signals included several genes involved in processes connected with fertility, growth and metabolism which are potentially responsible for different phenotypes of the studied breeds. The diversifying selection signals also comprised PPARD gene that was previously found to have a large effect on the shape of the external ear in pigs or two genes encoding neuropeptide Y receptors (Y2 and Y5) involved in fat deposition and stress response which are important features differentiating the studied breeds. REHH statistics allowed detecting several within-breed selection signatures overlapping with genes connected with a range of functions including, among others: metabolic pathways, immune system response or implantation and development of the embryo.ConclusionsThe study provides many potential candidate genes with implication for traits selected in the individual breeds and gives strong basis for further studies aiming at identification of sources of variation among the studied pig breeds.

The genetic structure of five pig breeds maintained in Poland

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate genetic variability of five pig populations maintained in Poland with the usage of model based clustering method (MCMC approach) on microsatellite data. A high degree of genetic diversity with the values corrected for sample sizes was observed for four breeds: 0.740 for Polish Landrace, 0.697 for Pietrain, 0.692 for Polish Large White and 0.688 for Puławska. Duroc breed, however, was characterized by the lowest genetic diversity (0.589), allelic richness and number of effective alleles. As for Structure software results, each breed was represented by their own cluster while maintaining a possible small admixture of other breeds. The results obtained suggest a moderate gene flow between breeds, especially between Polish Landrace and Polish Large White has occurred. The lowest admixture was presented for Duroc breed, which confirms its high purity. The presented results can be used to study the structure and as a genetic information for the preservation and further genetic improvement of the pig breeds maintained in Poland. It seems also advisable to conduct further studies with a larger number of microsatellites and by analysis of mitochondrial DNA.