Genetische Fundierung von AutoFOM-Merkmalen

Abstract. Title of the paper: Genetic foundation of AutoFOM-traits
Since the beginning of the year 2000 the payment System of pig carcasses in some slaughter houses in northwest Germany is based on the recordings of the fully automated carcass Classification system AutoFOM. Besides legal information 'estimated lean meat percentage' relative exact details of the weights of important valuable cuts are available. Genetic parameters of the AutoFOM lean carcass cut information, ham-, chop-, Shoulder- and belly weights as well as lean meat percentage of the belly cut were estimated. Using the field data of the pig breeding organisations BHZP (n = 2224) and SNW (n = 3601) the estimated heritabilties of these carcass cuts vary between 0.13 and 0.27 (BHZP) and 0.13 and 0.31 (SNW), respectively. The estimated heritabilities of the AutoFOM carcass traits of station-tested pigs were more pronounced for the dam lines German Landrace and Large White (n = 1693) and Piétrain Al-boars mated to Fl sows (n = 1053). The estimates ranged from 0.27 to 0.59 (dam lines) and 0.05 to 0.40 (Pi Al-boars), respectively. Using the records of Station tested purebred Pietrain pigs (n = 1693) the heritabilities of the AutoFOM carcass cuts did not exceed 0.10. The genetic correlation between the different AutoFOM carcass traits exceed the absolute value of 0.8. In a similar way, the genetic correlation between the "estimated lean meat percentage" used in the test Station and the AutoFOM carcass traits were close to unity. We concluded that AutoFOM traits of slaughter pigs provide a useful information for the selection of Al-boars. Moreover, with regard to the Station testing of dam lines AutoFOM carcass informations derived from AutoFOM are a useful supplementation. Because of the low heritability, only a marginal additional benefit could be expected for the genetic ranking of Pi-boars using AutoFOM carcass cut records of purebred Station tested progenies.