Role and significance of Belarusian Large White breed pigs in pig breeding in Belarus

Abstract

The Belarusian Large White breed of pigs is characterized by high maternal performance, resistance, livability of young animals, their fattening and meat productivity. The breed is effectively used for commercial cross breeding with Yorkshire and Landrace pigs. The article contains the results of a comprehensive assessment of the Belarusian Large White breed pigs in terms of development and productivity. The subject of research was the active part of purebred herds of pigs of this breed raised at the following breeding enterprises: agricultural branch “SGC “Zadneprovsky” of JSC “Orsha bread products company”, JSC “SGC “Zarechye”, JSC “Breeding plant “Timonovo”, JSC “Krasnaya Buda”. The main method of working with the breed was the purebred line breeding. Individual selection of animals was carried out according to the main indicators of productivity, development and conformation. The group matching of boars and sows of the breed by reproductive performance was carried out on the basis of the valuation data of breeding enterprises. A comprehensive assessment of development and productivity of the Belarusian Large White pigs showed that on average, intrabreed adult boars aged 36 months had a live weight of 313.0 kg, a body length of 182.0 cm, and sows had a body length of 250.0 kg and 164.0 cm, respectively. Productivity indicators of sows from all controlled breeding herds were as follows: prolificacy – 10.2 heads, milkability (litter weight on the 21st day) – 52.1 kg, number of piglets at weaning – 9.5 heads. Based on a set of indicators, the progeny of boars of Drachun 90685 and Smyk 46706 lines (“SGC “Zadneprovsky”) have the best fattening and meat quality traits. On the basis of the research results obtained, the schemes of interlinear group matching of sows and boars of the Belarusian Large White breed at the breeding enterprises of the Republic were developed.