Economic weights for sow productivity traits in nucleus pig populations

Economic values or weights measure the net economic gain per unit genetic increase of a given trait. These were derived for sow productivity traits for use as weighting factors in a dam line selection index used by purebred or nucleus dam line breeders. The profit function approach was used in order to provide flexibility to alternative production systems, market requirements or population trait levels. The approach accounted for constraints on perinatal survival rate imposed by larger birth litter sizes. The effect of accounting for these constraints was to reduce the economic value of birth litter size as the population average increased; without this, the economic weight for litter size was constant. Weights for the other traits were not affected. Economic weights were calculated for both the 100 kg finished pig and the 25 kg feeder pig market, and for a range of average birth litter sizes, with constant values for all other traits, using average market conditions, prices and costs in Canada as an example. The relative importance of litter size for the finished pig market decreased from 64% of the total breeding value when average litter size was 8 pigs to 29% when average litter size was 20 pigs, whereas that of perinatal survival increased from 17% to 42%, and that of survival to weaning increased from 7% to 18%. The relative importance of litter size for the feeder pig market also decreased from 45% to 15% as average litter size increased from 8 to 20 pigs, whereas that of piglet weaning weight increased from 22% to 41%, that of perinatal survival increased from 12% to 22% and that of survival to weaning increased from 5% to 9%. The relative importance of age at puberty and weaning to conception interval were both less than 8% of the total in both markets at all litter sizes. These results show that economic weights for litter size designed for populations with relatively small litter sizes should be reduced when the average litter size becomes large and more emphasis should be placed on other traits, particularly perinatal survival.