Thu, Oct-26-17, 14:36
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Senior Member
Posts: 15,075
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Plan: mostly milkfat
Stats: 190/152.4/154
BF:
Progress: 104%
Location: Ontario
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK216532/
Quote:
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Close to 90% of the barrows and gilts marketed in the United States have more separable fat than separable lean in their carcasses. Therefore, swine producers should put greater emphasis on raising meat-type pigs. Since carcass characteristics are highly heritable, they can be improved quickly by selection programs. The average estimates of heritability are as follows: carcass length, 56%; carcass backfat thickness, 38%; yield of lean cuts, 29%; and length of hind leg, 40%.
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Pigs are already producing more fat than people are eating. If this results in more affordable pork, I don't know that it's a bad thing. In another article about this story, it was mentioned that other animals tolerate cold better than pigs do--it seems likely that this is a result of us breeding out their ability to stay warm outside, when we bred them to be fatter in the first place.
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