| To estimate the genetic parameters for body measurements traits and estimate its correlation with growth traits of American Duroc pigs, which can provide a basic information for the genetic evaluation among these target traits. The SAS software was used to estimate effect of non-genetic factors（including farm, year, season and sex）on each trait by least square variance analysis. The REML method based on the DMU software was used to estimate the additive variance of body measurements traits（BL, body length; BH, body height; CC, cannon circumference）, and then the heritabilities and genetic correlation with growth traits（AGE, age at 100 kg live weight; BF, backfat at 100 kg live weight; FCR, feed conversion ratio）were calculated. The results showed that all fixed effect had significant effect on each trait. The estimated heritabilities of BL, BH and CC were 0.274, 0.352 and 0.160, respectively. The range of common litter effects was 0.184-0.221. In addition, the variation range of genetic and phenotypic correlation among body traits were 0.552-0.674 and 0.100-0.568, respectively. The variation range of genetic and phenotype between body traits and growth traits were -0.411-0.083 and -0.333-0.039, respectively. The results of this study indicated that the genetic improvement of the growth traits of Duroc pigs can be accelerated by indirect selection of body size traits in breeding. |
