Hungarian Landrace Research Articles

Genetic Parameters of Reproductive Performances in Hungarian Large White, Landrace, and Their Crossbred F1 Pigs from 2010 to 2018

Genetic parameters, breeding values, and aggregate breeding values of number of piglets born alive (NBA), number of weaned piglets (NWE), and litter weight at weaning (LWWE) were predicted in the Hungarian Large White, Hungarian Landrace breeds, and in their cross (F1). Seven repeatability animal models were used. BLUP and REML methodology were used to estimate breeding values and variance–covariance components. PEST and VCE 6 software were used for estimating breeding values and variance components. Heritability for NBA and NWE was the same for all seven models. On the contrary, heritability estimates for LWWE were higher in comparison with NBA and NWE. The permanent environmental variance component was small for all traits. The large White breed had positive and significant genetic trends for all seven models and for all three traits. Landrace breed had significant trends for NBA, which was negative, and for NWE, the results were positive. The constructed indices result in one number (i.e., aggregate genetic merit); thus, the animals can be selected based on their overall performance considering the various aspects.

EFFECT OF FREE-RANGE AREA AND FEED RESTRICTION ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF HUNGARIAN LANDRACE GUINEA FOWL

Hungarian Landrace Guinea Fowls are famous for their excellent meat quality produced by traditional free-range farming. The study aimed to identify the optimal size of a free-range area for keeping Hungarian Landrace Guinea Fowl, and to examine its effect in combination with quantitative feed restriction on growth performance, 486 birds were randomly distributed into 18 cages. Free-range areas of different sizes (either 50 m2 or 15 m2 per bird, or without a running area) were provided from 6 weeks of age, and from 9 to 14 weeks,feed restriction at varying levels of 90%, 80%, 70% or ad libitum feeding was also applied. Body weight, body weight gain and feed conversion ratios were recorded every two weeks. Results showed that differing freerange area sizes and feed restriction had a substantial effect on the body weight of Hungarian Landrace Guinea Fowl, which was evident by the age of 10 weeks and continued until 14 weeks, where feed restriction negatively affected guinea fowl growth in free-range keeping. Guinea fowl provided with 15 m2 of free-range area per bird and fed ad libitum had the highest body weight (1378.52 ± 43.68 g) with relatively low feedconversion ratio (3.82 ± 0.14 kg feed per kg body weight gain) when compared with other experimental groups at the age of 14 weeks. The lowest body weight and feed conversion ratio was observed in groups with 15 m2 freerange area per bird and 70% feed restriction (1245.93 ± 38.64 g and 3.52 ± 0.12 kg feed per kg body weight gain), while the highest feed conversion ratio was detected in groups fed ad libitum and kept closed, without a free range area (4.34 ± 0.06 kg feed per kg body weight gain).

GENE CONSERVATION PRACTICE AND PRODUCTION OF OLD HUNGARIAN GOOSE BREEDS

Hungarian goose production and gene conservation practices have been a tradition in Hungary for several centuries. The old Hungarian geese can only be effectively maintained if the national programs can identify economic uses of the breed. This study aimed to examine the potential use of the Hungarian landrace goose (HL) either as a purebred or crossbred with the Hungarian Upgraded breed (HU). Crossbred offspring were produced by HL ganders and HU layers, as egg production of HL layers is very low. Reproduction traits (egg production, fertility and hatchability) of parent stocks, body weight gain, feed consumption and slaughter values (slaughter loss, breast and thigh weight and proportions) and of offspring were measured. The results showed that fertility in the crossbred geese was insignificant compared to the fertility of HL purebreds, while hatchability of crossbreds was higher than that of purebred HL or HU. HL offspring had significantly lower bodyweight and weight gain, and a higher feed conversion rate than HU. The proportion of valuable meat parts (breast and thigh) was the highest in HU while weight in slaughter loss was also the highest in HU. In terms of body weight, feed conversion rate and slaughter properties, crossbred offspring showed intermediate inheritance. HL is recommended for crossbreeding with HU breeds and their offspring should be reared under free-range keeping conditions.

The effect of feeding different glycerol sources on the performance of lactating sows

Glycerol is a by-product of the biodiesel industry and it might be a good alternative to moderate the energy deficiency of sows during the lactation period. Preliminary experiments were carried out to test the effect of a powder, solid based “food grade” glycerol source with 72.9% glycerol content (Trial 1) and a liquid “feed grade” glycerol source with 86% glycerol content (Trial 2) on the performance of lactating sows and their litters. Trial 1 was conducted with 5 Hungarian Large White×Hungarian Landrace sows/treatment (313±24.9 kg) and Trial 2 with 12–12 DanAvl (323±17.0 kg) sows and their litters/treatment. Neither the solid, powder based glycerol (Trial 1), nor the liquid glycerol source (Trial 2) had significant effect on the feed intake, reduction in live weight and back-fat thickness, and weaning-tooestrus interval (p>0.05) of lactating sows. In Trial 2, on the 14th, 21st and 27th days of lactation the milk samples were collected and it was found that 50 kg/t glycerol decreased the protein content of milk samples (p<0.05). Glycerol supplementation had no effect on dry matter, fat, lactose content of milk samples (p>0.05). In Trial 2, no significant difference was found between control and experimental sow groups in triglyceride concentration of blood samples and in the activity of liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT; p>0.05), but the concentration of plasma glucose and cholesterol increased tendentiously (p<0.10).
 Based on our preliminary results, it can be concluded that additional dose trials are needed to perform in order to study the effect of glycerol supplement on milk production and on metabolic processes of lactating sows.

Andrological examination of Hungarian Large White and Landrace boars

The Hungarian Large White and Hungarian Landrace pig breeds have outstanding lifetime performance, production parameters and crossbreeding ability. Nevertheless, during the recent decades, these breeds could not compete with the West European hybrid pigs concerning on production results. In this study, we made a complex andrological evaluation of boars in different Hungarian nucleus breeding stocks. After taking blood and semen samples, performing gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) challenge, ultrasonic and thermographic examinations were done. Laboratory tests were accomplished in reproduction labs of NARIC ABNMS. Our goal was to determine the reproductive performances of boars and collect samples for future genetic examinations, respectively.

Simple Sequence Repeat Markers Reveal Hungarian Plum (Prunus domestica L.) Germplasm as a Valuable Gene Resource

The hexaploid European plum (Prunus domestica L.) is an economically important fruit species with limited information on its genetic structure. Our objective was to fingerprint 55 cultivars using seven simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers to estimate the polymorphism level and determine allelic variation and genetic relationships among local and international cultivars. The primer pairs amplified a total of 135 alleles ranging from six to 27 alleles per locus, displaying high polymorphism. All genotypes were clearly distinguished with the seven SSRs used in this study. In a neighbor-joining cluster analysis, cultivars belonging to the same species did not group together. Foreign modern cultivars clustered together, and Hungarian landraces positioned distantly from those. STRUCTURE analysis indicated three genetically distinct groups of the studied genotypes. Each cluster of Hungarian landrace cultivars received strong bootstrap support (89% to 100%). Most genotypes kept under identical name showed different DNA fingerprints. A principal component analysis (PCA) confirmed the information provided by the dendrogram and clarified the origin of ʻFehérszilva’. Our results confirmed the potential of the application of SSR markers in plum breeding.

Assessing meat production of 3 Hungarian Landrace Guinea Fowl ecotypes reserved for in vivo conservation

SUMMARY Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) has existed in the Carpathian Basin for centuries and now is becoming an important genetic resource for low-input production. This study aimed to compare production traits, such as livability, BW, and feed conversion, of 3 Hungarian Landrace Guinea Fowl (HLGF) ecotypes, 2 from Hungarian gene banks (Godollo (G) and Hortobagy (H)) and one local type from Central Hungary (C). Beyond 5 wk of age, birds were kept in enclosures of either 15 m2 or 50 m2 free-range area per bird. The highest average BW and lowest feed conversion at 14 wk of age (1329.38 ± 101.47 g and 2.916 ± 0.253 kg feed/kg BW gain, respectively) were recorded for the G ecotype of HLGF, which was kept in 50 m2 free-range area/bird. An ANOVA test showed that the ecotype of guinea fowl influenced BW and feed conversion, and the size of the free-range area was found to be a determining factor for feed conversion rate at 14 wk of age (P

Porcine prolactin receptor genotypes and production and reproduction traits in Hungarian Large White and Landrace sows (Brief Report)

Abstract. Prolactin is an anterior pituitary hormone involved in many endocrine activities and plays and essential role in reproduction. Its receptor (PRLR) was detected in various tissues including brain, ovary, placenta, an uterus in several mammalian species (BOLE-FEYSOT et al. 1998). Reproductive performance of sows is a crutial point in pig production with significant economic importance and may be estimated with the help of markers. Porcine prolactin receptor gene is said to be a candidate genetic marker for reproductive traits. It has been mapped to porcine chromosome 16 (Vincent et al. 1997). There is a C/G SNP in PRLR gene (KMIEC et al. 2001) at the position of 203 (GAN: U96306) which eliminates an AluI cleavage site. The effect of this polymorphism on litter size in various breeds has been estimated (VINCENT et al. 1998, ROTHSCHILD et al. 1998, VAN RENS et al. 2002, KMIEC and TERMAN, 2004, DRÖGEMÜLLER et al. 2001, KORWIN-KOSSAKOWSKA et al. 2003). The influence of the bovine hormone variant was also estimated (RATNA-KUMARI et al. 2008). The aim of the study was to estimate PRLR AluI polymorphism effects on litter size in Hungarian Large White (HLW) and Hungarian Landrace (HL) breeds.

Prevalence of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome in pigs sired by 13 Hungarian Landrace boars

Between February 20 and October 31, 2003, 2034 sows were inseminated with semen collected from 13 Hungarian Landrace boars. Altogether 16,013 piglets were born: 13,801 (86·2 per cent) alive, 796...

Bayesian inference of genetic parameters on litter size and gestation length in Hungarian Landrace and Hungarian Large White pigs

Genetic parameters of number of piglets born alive (NBA) and gestation length (GL) were analyzed for 39798 Hungarian Landrace (HLA, 141397 records) and 70356 Hungarian Large White (HLW, 246961 records) sows. Bivariate repeatability animal models were used, applying a Bayesian statistics. Estimated and heritabilitie repeatabilities (within brackets), were low for NBA, 0.07 (0.14) for HLA and 0.08 (0.17) for HLW, but somewhat higher for GL, 0.18 (0.27) for HLA and 0.26 (0.35) for HLW. Estimated genetic correlations between NBA and GL were low, -0.08 for HLA and -0.05 for HLW.

14 SUBLETHAL HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE TREATMENT IMPROVES FRESH AND CHILLED BOAR SEMEN QUALITY IN VITRO AND IN VIVO

Insemination of fresh boar semen is a widely used production tool in swine breeding and meat production. Although the success rates of routine insemination procedures are satisfactory, improvements are still needed to reduce production costs; moreover, the reduced litter size of gilts compared with sows still calls for further solutions. Sublethal high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), applied to fresh boar semen before cryopreservation, was reported to improve post-thaw motility and litter size. Proteomic studies revealed a treatment-related increase in different proteins that may contribute to increased fertility (Huang et al. 2008 Anim. Reprod. Sci., in press). Herein, we provide data showing how the same treatment influences the in vitro lifespan of semen stored at 15°C and fertility at routine fresh semen insemination. For in vitro evaluation, semen was collected from Seghers boars (n = 7), extended, cooled to room temperature, and then split into 2 groups. Semen in the treatment group was filled into sterile transfusion bags and treated with 300-bar pressure for 90 min at 25°C in a computer-controlled pressure device (Cryo-Innovation Ltd., Budapest, Hungary). After treatment, both groups were placed into a cooling thermostat set to 15°C. Total and progressive motility was assessed daily for 12 days by a computer-assisted semen analysis system. For in vivo evaluation, semen (boars, n = 14) was prepared, split, and treated as described above. Hungarian Large White × Hungarian Landrace sows (n = 103) were then inseminated with treated or nontreated semen. Inseminations were done in the routine production of 2 swine farms. For statistical analysis, a generalized linear mixed-effects model was used, with P < 0.05 regarded as significant. Results showed that the reduction of both total (TM) and progressive (PM) motility of the treated samples was significantly slower compared with control samples. On Day 5, the ratio of live (TM) to PM cells (control v. HHP treated) was as follows: TM, 55.4 v. 64.6%; PM, 36.6 v. 46.4%. On Day 11, the ratio of TM to PM cells was as follows: TM, 43 v. 53%; PM, 27 v. 31.4%. Mean pregnancy rates and litter weights were not different between the 2 groups (73 v. 74%; 16.34 v. 16.37 kg; HHP treated v. nontreated, respectively). However, the effect of treatment on the litter size was significant (12.4 v. 11.4; HHP treated v. nontreated). Moreover, there was a significant difference in treatment effects between the gilts and the sows: whereas treatment had no significant effect on the litter size of the sows (P = 0.47), the litter size of the gilts increased (P < 0.001), with a mean of 2.55 ± 0.83 (SE). This preliminary report shows that HHP-treated semen survived chilled storage better. The HHP treatment also increased the average live and total litter size achievable with fresh semen insemination, with litters not being different from the controls in weight, sex ratio, or stillbirths. The increased litter size was more evident in the case of the gilts. Further field trials are being conducted. This trial was supported by OMFB-00364/2007.

Genetic parameters of direct and ratio traits from field and station tests of pigs

Abstract. Genetic parameters of several growth and carcass traits were estimated for the Hungarian Large White (HLW) and Hungarian Landrace (HL) pig breeds. The objective of the analysis was to compare the direct (days on station test, consumed feed, valuable cuts and age) and ratio/composite (net daily gain, feed conversion, proportion of valuable cuts, lean meat percentage and average daily gain and meat quality score) traits, which were collected in the course of station and field tests. The analysis was based on the national database (1997–2003) using univariate and bivariate animal models. Estimated heritabilities for station test traits ranged between 0.34–0.69 (except for meat quality score, where the heritability was low (0.10, 0.15 for HLW and HL, respectively) and exceeded that of the field test traits (0.18–0.23). Relative importance of random litter effects was low for the station test traits (0.01–0.29) but moderate for the field test traits (0.20–0.48). The unfavourable genetic correlation between lean meat percentage and meat quality score (−0.28, −0.44 for HLW and LW, respectively) is worth mentioning. In both performance tests the direct and ratio test counterparts showed similar heritabilities and their genetic correlation were close to unity (0.74–0.95). Based on these results selection on either the direct or on the ratio traits would possibly result similar selection response.

Effect of inbreeding on lean meat percentage and average daily gain in Hungarian Landrace pigs

Abstract. Pedigree and field test data – collected between 1994–2005 – were analyzed in a group of 132,548 Hungarian Landrace pigs. The analysed traits were average daily gain (ADG) and lean meat percentage (LMP). In the present study inbreeding coefficients, pedigree completeness (complete generation equivalents) and inbreeding depression for ADG and LMP were estimated. Increasing the number of generations that were considered in the pedigree the estimated inbreeding coefficients did not change after the 5th generation, but pedigree completeness was continuously increased. The estimated inbreeding depression for ADG and LMP were different applying 40 different models but the magnitude of the differences was small. The model comparison showed that the models containing litter and year-month effects had the best fit (smallest mean squared error). Increasing the inbreeding coefficient by 10 % decreased ADG by 4.01 g and practically did not affect LMP (0.003 %). It can be concluded that the estimated inbreeding depression was small and substantial depression can not be expected in the near future. However, the low level of inbreeding of the studied population can partly be explained by the short pedigrees. This suggests that Hungarian pig breeders may often import breeding animals or carry out herd replacements rather than applying continuous within group selection.

Bayesian inference of inbreeding effects on litter size and gestation length in Hungarian Landrace and Hungarian Large White pigs

The effects of litter and dam inbreeding on the number of piglets born alive (NBA) and on the gestation length (GL) were analyzed for 39,798 Hungarian Landrace (141,397 records) and 70,356 Hungarian Large White (246,961 records) sows. Bivariate repeatability animal models were used, applying a Bayesian approach. Differences in pedigree completeness (complete generation equivalents) were accounted for. Litter and dam inbreeding effects (per 10% inbreeding) on the NBA resulted in negative regression coefficients for Hungarian Landrace (− 0.162 to − 0.047 and − 0.203 to − 0.042) and Hungarian Large White (− 0.231 to − 0.100 and − 0.282 to − 0.111) populations. The litter inbreeding increased the GL for Hungarian Landrace and Hungarian Large White populations, but the magnitude of the effect was less then 0.01 days per 10% inbreeding. The effects of dam inbreeding on GL were negligible.

Dietary manipulation of meat fatty acid composition in Hungarian Mangalica and an industrial genotype pig

Fat content and fatty acid composition were investigated in Musculus gluteus medius of pigs from two different breeds: traditional Hungarian Mangalica and a crossbreed of Hungarian Large White and Dutch Landrace. Animals of both varieties were divided into two groups and were kept individually on control or experimental mixtures of feeds. Experimental feed contained significantly higher amount of linoleic and linolenic acid than the control one. Significantly higher fat content was detected in meat of Mangalica pigs kept on both feed mixtures than in those of crossbred. The proportion of saturated fatty acids was nearly the same in the meat of both genotypes. More monounsaturated fatty acids were detected in Mangalica meat than in crossbred ones expressed in percent of total fatty acids and absolute amount, as well. As a result of experimental diet, percentage and absolute amount of oleic acid decreased significantly in both genotypes. Less polyunsaturated fatty acids expressed as percent of total acids w...

Analysis of the Station Test Results of the Hungarian Large White and Hungarian Landrace Populations Applying Survival Analysis

Authors analysed the days of fattening in relation to the station test for Hungarian Large White and Hungarian Landrace pig populations using, survival analysis. Survival and hazard functions were calculated in both groups separately for castrates and females. The log-rank test was applied to determine the significance of the differences across the groups. Authors established that within the breeds the functions of the castrates and females were significantly different, namely the castrates reached final weight sooner or, in cases where final weight was not reached by a certain period, castrates reached this weight during the next time unit with a higher probability than the females.

Genetic parameters of production traits of Hungarian Pig populations evaluated in separate and joint (field and station) tests

Abstract. Genetic parameters for various backfat measurements (BF1FT, BF2FT, BF3FT, BF1ST, BF2ST, BF3ST), average backfat thickness (ABFFT), loin muscle area (LMAFT), fat depth between the 3rd and 4th lumbar vertebrae (SF1FT), fat depth between the 3rd and 4th ribs (SF2FT), lean meat percentage (LMPFT) were estimated. The analysis was based on the national database of the field and station tests, using animal model in Hungarian Large White (LW), Hungarian Landrace (LR) breeds, and A-line of the Ka-Hyb hybrid (MLW) between May 1996–February 2001. Heritability for BFFT traits ranged between 0.15–0.35. Similar interval was received for ABFFT (0.20–0.36) but reasonably higher estimates were observed in BFST traits (0.41–0.75). SFFT heritabilies (0.18–0.37) were close to those of BFFT traits while somewhat higher values were found in LMPFT (0.26–0.45) and LMAFT (0.31–0.58). Genetic correlations were generally positive among all fat depth measurements and negative with LMPFT. Genetic correlations between LMAFT-LMPFT were positive but contradictory results were found between LMAFT and fat depth measurements. The genetic correlations between BFFT traits and their station test counterparts (BFST) varied between 0.12–0.64.

Analysis of the random distribution of station-tested pigs based on their genetic merit.

The analysis was conducted on the national database of the station tests carried out between May 1996 and February 2001, using the Hungarian Large White (LW) and Hungarian Landrace (LR) breeds, and the A-line of the Ka-Hyb hybrid (MLW). Days of test, total amount of feed consumed and valuable cuts were taken into the analysis to test the random distribution of the animals' phenotypic measurements and predicted breeding values across the contemporary groups of origin. The phenotypic measurements of all traits were clearly positively associated with the herds of origin (b = 0.52-1.08). Animals with favourable phenotypic measurements originated from better herds. On the contrary, the predicted breeding values seemed to be independent of the herd effects (b = -0.16-0.08) and suggested a possible random distribution across the contemporary groups.

Simultaneous identification of two MspI polymorphisms of the porcine myogenin gene in Hungarian breeds

SummarySimultaneous analysis of two myogenin (MYOG) loci has been carried out using polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) tests in DNA isolated from blood samples collected from four different pig breeds (Hungarian Large White, Duroc, Mangalica and Hungarian Landrace). The following MYOGA frequency values have been obtained: Hungarian Large White 0.2416; Duroc 0.0900; Mangalica 0.6617; Hungarian Landrace 0.2361. The MYOG2 allele was found in Duroc and Mangalica breeds only. This test allows the analysis of two loci of the MYOG gene in parallel, which might be used in marker assisted selection programmes in the near future. Ongoing studies on the possible effects of the MYOG types on carcass and growth traits are outlined.

Phenotypic variation within a Hungarian landrace of runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.)

A landrace seed lot of runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.), obtained from the Budapest region, Hungary, was separated into five seed groups according to seed coat colour. 131 plants were grown randomly, and observed for 27 morphological and physiological characters. The collected data were analysed by ANOVA.