The Genetics Of The Pig

The understanding of pig genetics and genomics has advanced significantly in recent years, creating fresh insights into biological processes. This comprehensive reference work discusses pig genetics and its integration with livestock management and production technology to improve performance. Fully updated throughout to reflect advances in the subject, this new edition also includes new information on genetic aspects of domestication, colour variation, genomics and pig breeds, with contributions from international experts active in the field.

Pork is the most widely produced meat in the world. To cover the demands of a fast growing population, new scientific knowledge in genetics, physiology and nutrition is generated, which contributes in a general increase of production performance. Production systems can be improved by constructing models which help to optimise use of the means of production and intensify production. In some regions where production intensity is high, concerns about environmental pollution are increasingly becoming a limiting factor. Consumers, and with them the retailer organisations, are voicing serious concerns about the production systems and especially the use of feed additives.In the context of the above, the question of the quality of pork becomes a relevant issue. A general view can only be obtained by taking all factors into consideration.The diverse aspects of pork quality were covered in the session on "Quality of Meat and Fat as Affected by Genetics and Nutrition" at the 50th annual meeting of the EAAP in Zurich. This publication presents the review presentations which give an overview from the different perspectives of meat quality and it's use in human nutrition: genetics, physiology, animal nutrition, meat consumption and human health and consumer concerns. In addition, 38 short communications provide up-to-date knowledge on the subject of quality from a European perspective.

Research in behavioral genetics is important for pig welfare. Consequences of the ongoing selection for high production on pigs’ behavior need to be studied, as well as possibilities to select directly for changed behavior. The Farm Animal Welfare Council’s definition of welfare is based on five freedoms related to hunger and thirst, discomfort, pain, injury or disease, fear and distress and normal behavior. All these freedoms are associated with pig behavior. Maternal behavior related to piglet survival and aggressive behavior of pigs kept in groups are especially important for welfare. Pig breeding programs could be further developed by including behavioral traits relevant for welfare.

In this Special Issue, we present the state of the art in the field of pig genetics and genomics, including the identification of gene candidates linked to important pig traits and to nutritional modifications, with the aim of collecting the most recent advances. The published manuscripts focused on high-throughput methodologies, such as RNA sequencing, ATAC-seq, MACE-seq, chip-seq, and RRBS, and covered other fields of pig genetics. The pig (Sus scrofa) is the most common large mammal in the world. The Sus genus includes domestic pig and wild boar. Since the draft reference genome sequence of S. scrofa was assembled in 2012, the processes of identification of genes related to important phenotypic traits and of search of genetic markers for pig selection have been significantly refined. In addition, the newest wide-range high-throughput techniques, including microarrays, next-generation sequencing, and the recent PacBio sequencing platform providing ultra-long sequencing reads, allow identifying gene mutations and gene candidates throughout the whole genome, transcriptome, or epigenome and estimating quantitative traits important for breeding as well as the genetic backgrounds of inherited diseases.

Evolution and domestication, an introductuio; Civilization and domestication of pigs; Pig breeds of the world: Their distribution and adaptation; Evaluation and utilization of pig breeds; New breed development in pigs; Gene identification in pigs; Breed identification and development in pigs; Conservation of resources in pigs and sheep; Domestication, history and breed evolution in sheep; Classification and distribution of sheep breeds; Breed differences in adaptation of sheep; Breed differences in prolificacy of sheep; Milk breeds of sheep; Breed comparisons for meat production in sheep; Genetic resources for production; Fur breeds of sheep; Breed structure, dynamics, and new breed development in sheep; Milk recording, breeding and selection schemes for milk breeds; Breeding programmes in nordic countries based on filed prodiction recording; State farm breeding in eastern european countries; International exchange of genetic material; Considering the social aspects of sheep breeding programmes; Domestication and history of goats; Classification and distribution of goat breeds; Breed differences in adaptation of goats; Breed differences in production in goats; Evolution of mohair, cashmere and skins; Evaluation and utilization of goat breeds; Gene identification in goats; Breeding programmes and production recording in goats; Maintenance of genetic resources in goats.

Breeding for behavioural traits may improve pig welfare and breeding for high production may decrease pig welfare. Maternal behaviours important for piglet production includes savaging, crushing and nursing. Behaviours of importance for production of pigs for slaughter includes feeding behaviour, tail biting and aggressive behaviour. These are complex traits and large amounts of data are needed for accurate genetic evaluation and selection.