• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.485-493
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• 2019

Objective: This study was undertaken to investigate the genetic characteristics of Berkshire (BS), Landrace (LR), and Yorkshire (YS) pig breeds raised in the Great Grandparents pig farms using the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) information. Methods: A total of 25,921 common SNP genotype markers in three pig breeds were used to estimate the expected heterozygosity ($H_E$), polymorphism information content, F-statistics ($F_{ST}$), linkage disequilibrium (LD) and effective population size ($N_e$). Results: The chromosome-wise distribution of $F_{ST}$ in BS, LR, and YS populations were within the range of 0-0.36, and the average $F_{ST}$ value was estimated to be $0.07{\pm}0.06$. This result indicated some level of genetic segregation. An average LD ($r^2$) for the BS, LR, and YS breeds was estimated to be approximately 0.41. This study also found an average $N_e$ of 19.9 (BS), 31.4 (LR), and 34.1 (YS) over the last 5th generations. The effective population size for the BS, LR, and YS breeds decreased at a consistent rate from 50th to 10th generations ago. With a relatively faster $N_e$ decline rate in the past 10th generations, there exists possible evidence for intensive selection practices in pigs in the recent past. Conclusion: To develop customized chips for the genomic selection of various breeds, it is important to select and utilize SNP based on the genetic characteristics of each breed. Since the improvement efficiency of breed pigs increases sharply by the population size, it is important to increase test units for the improvement and it is desirable to establish the pig improvement network system to expand the unit of breed pig improvement through the genetic connection among breed pig farms.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.658-665
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• 2011

An wild boar species which has been known as an extinct species on Jeju Island, was recently observed in the surrounding areas of Mount Halla. Based on the molecular techniques, this study examines whether they are crossbred with domesticated pig breeds. Intraspecific genetic relationships with other wild boar populations and molecular sexing were examined as well. Total of four molecular markers on mitochondrial DNA(control region and ND2) and nuclear DNA(MC1R and KIT) were applied to test crossbreeding between with domesticated pig breeds, such as Landrace, Large White, Berkshire, Hampshire, and Duroc. All individuals of wild boar population had identical mtDNA control region(CR) sequences. In addition, the sequences were the same as those of some native pig breeds which are distributed in Northeast China, but different from those previously reported from the Korean Peninsula up to date. These results suggest that this population may have originated from a genetic lineage had been not previously studied and genetically related to Chinese native pig breeds. Molecular sexing results show that there are twice as many females as male. Thus the population is under expansion and its size will dynamically increase if not controlled.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1388-1393
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• 2015

Genetic parameters of Berkshire pigs for reproduction, carcass and meat quality traits were estimated using the records from a breeding farm in Korea. For reproduction traits, 2,457 records of the total number of piglets born (TNB) and the number of piglets born alive (NBA) from 781 sows and 53 sires were used. For two carcass traits which are carcass weight (CW) and backfat thickness (BF) and for 10 meat quality traits which are pH value after 45 minutes (pH45m), pH value after 24 hours (pH24h), lightness in meat color (LMC), redness in meat color (RMC), yellowness in meat color (YMC), moisture holding capacity (MHC), drip loss (DL), cooking loss (CL), fat content (FC), and shear force value (SH), 1,942 pig records were used to estimate genetic parameters. The genetic parameters for each trait were estimated using VCE program with animal model. Heritability estimates for reproduction traits TNB and NBA were 0.07 and 0.06, respectively, for carcass traits CW and BF were 0.37 and 0.57, respectively and for meat traits pH45m, pH24h, LMC, RMC, YMC, MHC, DL, CL, FC, and SH were 0.48, 0.15, 0.19, 0.36, 0.28, 0.21, 0.33, 0.45, 0.43, and 0.39, respectively. The estimate for genetic correlation coefficient between CW and BF was 0.27. The Genetic correlation between pH24h and meat color traits were in the range of -0.51 to -0.33 and between pH24h and DL and SH were -0.41 and -0.32, respectively. The estimates for genetic correlation coefficients between reproductive and meat quality traits were very low or zero. However, the estimates for genetic correlation coefficients between reproductive traits and drip and cooking loss were in the range of 0.12 to 0.17 and -0.14 to -0.12, respectively. As the estimated heritability of meat quality traits showed medium to high heritability, these traits may be applicable for the genetic improvement by continuous measurement. However, since some of the meat quality traits showed negative genetic correlations with carcass traits, an appropriate breeding scheme is required that carefully considers the complexity of genetic parameters and applicability of data.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.289-296
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• 2011

Swine industry in Korea plays an important role in providing the meat for domestic consumption, and the number of pigs in Korea was about 9.72 million heads as of June, 2010. Meat quality is used to describe any traits which impact the consumer acceptability of fresh meat products. Meat color, firmness, water holding capacity, ultimate muscle $pH_{24h}$ (measured 24 hours post-mortem), shear force, and intramuscular fat percentage (IMF) are generally accepted as important indicators of meat quality and ultimately, consumer acceptance of fresh pork. The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for meat quality traits in Berkshire pigs. The heritability estimates for muscle $pH_{24h}$, lightness (CIE $L^*$), NPPC marbling were 0.61, 0.56 and 0.57, respectively, The heritability estimates for drip loss, cooking loss, shear force were 0.51, 0.66 and 0.56, respectively. The phenotypic correlations between $pH_{24h}$ and lightness (CIE $L^*$), drip loss, cooking loss were negative, ranging from -.45 ~ -.13. The genetic correlations between muscle $pH_{24h}$ and lightness (CIE $L^*$), drip loss were negative, ranging from -.35 ~ -.32. Genetic parameters obtained herein indicate that genetic improvement of muscle $pH_{24h}$ is not related to the NPPC marbling of meat, but rather to improved lightness(CIE $L^*$) and drip loss. Genetic trends of meat quality traits showed increased muscle $pH_{24h}$ and decreased cooking loss and drip loss.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.1224-1232
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• 2020

Objective: The QingYu pig is well known for its excellent meat quality attributes in Sichuan province, China. In order to improve its production efficiency, the determination of genetic factors contributing to quantifiable economic traits of livestock is important. Moreover, the cross-breeding of QingYu pigs with western breeds possessing strong growth attributes is an efficient way to improve the performance of this breed. Methods: Here, the genetic parameters of several important reproductive traits of QingYu pigs were estimated, include total number born (TNB), number born alive, litter birth weight, individual birth weight, number of piglets weaned, litter weaning weight, and individual weaning weight. The data was analyzed using the ASReml 3.0 software (NSW Inc., Sydney, Australia). Furthermore, the effects of crossing Berkshire with QingYu (BQ) pigs on carcass and meat quality traits, as well as the effects of slaughter weight on carcass and meat quality of BQ were characterized. Results: QingYu pigs exhibited superior reproductive traits. The TNB available to QingYu pigs was more than 8 per parity. The observed repeatability of the reproductive traits of the QingYu pigs was between 0.10 and 0.23. The significantly correlated genetic and phenotypic of reproduction traits were consistent. Interestingly, the BQ pigs exhibited improved carcass quality, with a significant increase in loin muscle area, lean percentage and reduction in sebum percentage. As a result, BQ had higher L_45min, lower cooking scores, and lower drip loss. In addition, the loin muscle area, body length, and sebum percentage were significantly higher in 90 and 100 kg animals. Cooking loss showed a significant increase at 80 kg, and marbling increased significantly from 90 kg. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that QingYu pigs exhibit excellent reproductive properties and heritability of these traits. Crossing with Berkshire is an efficient strategy to improve the carcass and meat quality of QingYu pigs for commercial operations. Furthermore, it appears as though the optimal slaughter weight of BQ pigs is at approximately 90 kg.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1479-1488
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• 2022

Objective: This work was to determine coat inheritance and evaluate production performance for crossbred pigs from Berkshire×Chenghua (BC) compared with Chinese indigenous Chenghua (CH) pigs. Methods: The coat color phenotypes were recorded for more than 16,000 pigs, and the genotypes of melanocortin 1 receptor (MCIR) gene were identified by sequencing. The reproductive performance of 927 crossbred BC F4 gilts and 320 purebred CH gilts was recorded. Sixty pigs of each breed were randomly selected at approximately 60 days of age to determine growth performance during fattening period, which lasted for 150 days for BC pigs and 240 days for CH pigs. At the end of the fattening period, 30 pigs of each breed were slaughtered to determine carcass composition and meat quality. Results: The coat color of BC pigs exhibits a "dominant black" hereditary pattern, and all piglets derived from boars or sows genotyped E^D1 E^D1 homozygous for MC1R gene showed a uniform black coat phenotype. The BC F4 gilts displayed a good reproductive performance, showing a higher litter and tear size and were heavier at farrowing litter and at weaning litter than the CH gilts, but they reached puberty later than the CH gilts. BC F4 pigs exhibited improved growth and carcass characteristics with a higher average daily live weight gain, lower feed-to-gain ratio, and higher carcass lean meat rate than CH pigs. Like CH pigs, BC F4 pigs produced superior meat-quality characteristics, showing ideal pH and meat-color values, high intramuscular fat content and water-holding capacity, and acceptable muscle-fiber parameters. C18:1, C16:0, C18:0, and C18:2 were the main fatty acids in M. longissimus lumborum in the two breeds, and a remarkably high polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio of ~0.39 was observed in the BC F4 pigs. Conclusion: The BC F4 pigs exhibit a uniform black coat pattern and acceptable total production performance.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.467-473
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• 2013

This study compared the pork quality and muscle fiber characteristics between the Jeju black pig (JBP) and domesticated pig breeds, including three-way crossbred (Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire ${\times}$ Duroc, LYD), Berkshire (B), Duroc (D), Landrace (L), Meishan (M), and Yorkshire (Y) pigs. JBP had the lowest carcass weight among the pig breeds (p<0.05) and its NPPC marbling score was lower than the other domesticated pig breeds (p<0.05), except for M. M had the highest value for backfat thickness among the pig breeds (p<0.05), whereas its NPPC marbling score was the lowest (p<0.05). The pH values were higher in JBP and B at 45 min and 24 h postmortem, respectively, but LYD and M had the lowest pH values at 45 min and 24 h postmortem, respectively (p<0.05). M had a higher lightness and lower redness than the other breeds (p<0.05). Moreover, M had the highest drip loss among the pig breeds (p<0.05), whereas D had the lowest drip loss and the highest redness (p<0.05). In terms of muscle fiber characteristics, JBP and LYD had the largest type IIB fibers (p<0.05). The fiber number and area composition of type I fibers were higher in JBP than the others (p<0.05) however type IIA fibers were lowest in JBP among the pig breeds (p<0.05). Overall, our results indicate that JBP provided better pork quality compared with M, but the carcass trait and pork quality of JBP were not better than LYD and D, respectively.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1505-1510
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• 2007

We found 8 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in adipocyte fatty acid bonding protein (FABP4) gene as candidate gene of FAT1 locus on pig chromosome 4. With over 800 heads of major commercial pig breeds including Duroc, Landrace, Berkshire and Yorkshire, we analyzed SNPs of FABP4 gene to determine possible effects of FABP4 genotype to economically important traits. $400{\sim}800\;bp$ amplicons in FABP4 gene were used PCR-RFLP for each SNPs and we found that the frequency of some SNPs of this gene was different among the breeds. According to the statistical analyses to determine possible associations of each genotype with economic traits, it was found that subgroup with different genotypes showed significant differences in daily gain, backfat thickness, lean percentage and feed conversion ratio (P<0.05). Thus, as a Part of enhancing the selection competence related to swine growth rate and lean percentage, it is expected that FABP4 gene markers verified in this study will be useful to use for Korean commercial pig industry.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.6 s.73
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• pp.968-971
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• 2005

The Melanocortin-4 receptor gene (MC4R) regulates the energy balance and the genetic basis of obesity. A polymorphism in the porcine melanocortin-4 receptor has previously shown to be associated with growth, fat deposition and feed intake. In this study, the polymorphism of the gene was studied in several pig breeds of Duroc, Landrace, Berkshire, and Yorkshire. The results showed that the frequencies of MC4R genotype varied among those breeds. Association analyses were also performed between the MC4R polymorphism and average daily gain, feed conversion ratio, backfat thickness and lean percentage phenotypes. The results strongly support that the MC4R polymorphism can be used DNA marker selection indicator for economically important traits for pig breeding program in Korea.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.921-927
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• 2011

To compare pork quality from different pig species domesticated for Korean consumers, the meat quality characteristics of 5 different pure breeds of Landrace (L), Yorkshire (Y), Duroc (D), Berkshire (B), and Chester White (C) were determined from the 3 parts of loins, butts, and bellies. The fat content of loins was higher in breed D than in the other breeds, while that of butts and bellies was higher in breed B. The CIE color $a^*$ and $b^*$ values of the loins and butts from breed C were lower than those of the other breeds, but the color values of the belly part did not significantly differ by breed due to the high fat accumulation. The drip loss and cooking loss significantly differed depending on meat parts: breeds D and B were inferior in loins and butts but superior in bellies. The lipid oxidation of raw meat did not increase during the 7 d storage. The cooked butts of breed C had less thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances values than those of the other breeds at 7 d, and the cooked bellies of breeds D and B had less. Moreover, there were only minimal differences in fatty acid compositions by pork breed and part. From the view points of the physicochemical and organoleptic analysis of pork from different pig species, it is estimated that breed D had better meat quality in the loin part and breed B had better meat quality in the butt. The belly meat quality of breed C showed the least value. Although the meat quality of pig species differed depending on the parts and it was difficult to compare the meat quality of a part using the meat quality parameters of another part, the result of this study could provide basic information that can be used to improve the meat quality of different parts of pig species.