The Rate of Fat Deposition in Four Lines of Swine

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Abstract
In a comparative growth study observations on rate of gain, feed efficiency and fat deposition were made on 97 animals, representing four different lines of breeding. More than 3,000 individual backfat measurements are included in the study. An analysis of variance of the data for all weights, sex, lines, and sites of measurement showed that the difference in backfat thickness due to weight was highly significant (P <0.01). There were highly significant differences in average backfat between lines (P <0.01). The Yorkshire swine of all weights had significantly less backfat than any of the other lines. At 100 lb., backfat of the pigs from the White King-Boilermaker cross was intermediate between the parent lines while at 200 lb. the backfat of the crosses was no greater than that of White Kings (table 4). In each line studied thickness of fat was greatest over the shoulder and least at the loin site. At 200 lb. liveweight, in each of three lines, gilts had less backfat than barrows (experiment concluded before Boilermaker gilts reached 200 lb.) Equations were evolved for predicting average backfat thickness for each line and sex, using weight as the independent variable.