Abstract
Inbreeding and inbreeding depression are consequences of parental relationship which cannot be easily eluded in small populations of farm animals such as those of local breeds. The distinction between new (Fnew) and old (Fold) inbreeding or between slow and fast rates of inbreeding (ΔF) may improve the understanding of inbreeding depression, particularly in reproductive traits and other related to fitness. The analysis of litter size records of 6,854 litters from 1,988 sows of an Iberian pig line, genetically closed from 1963, showed a remarkable impact of new and fast inbreeding on this trait. A significant negative effect on litter size of a 10% of Fnew was inferred with a posterior mean (and SD) of −0.205 (0.010) piglets per litter (Posterior Prob. > 0 = 0.020), whereas the effect of Fold was irrelevant: 0.568 (0.446) piglets (PP > 0 = 0.900). A significant effect of −0.030 (0.013) piglets (PP > 0 = 0.007) of a rate of new inbreeding of 1% per generation was found. These results may be useful to many practical issues in conservation or selection programs of some breeds or lines of Mediterranean pigs.
Published Version
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