COMPARISON OF 5 TYPES OF PIG CROSSES .1. GROWTH AND CARCASS TRAITS

109 gilts and 119 barrows from five crosses: Landrace (LR) X Large Whi te (LW) females crossed with either Duroc (DU), LW or Belgian Landrace (BL) terminal sires, and DU X LW females crossed with either LW or BL sires, were used in the experiment. The animals were grouped and fed ad libitum from 23 to 97 kg. Growth rate and food consumption were mea sured. The animals were then slaughtered and standard carcass measurem ents were made. 55 left side carcasses were fully dissected, 84 were p artially dissected and 82 hams of the remaining left side carcasses we re also dissected. The cross with DU terminal sire grew fastest and sh owed a better food conversion ratio. There were no significant differe nces in killing-out and carcass length. The BL progeny had the highest carcass lean content, the best conformation and the highest proportio n of ham and loin.