Lydia Conrad's MSc Defence

Genetic Selection for Low Boar Taint as a Welfare Friendly Alternative to Surgical Castration

The relationship between aggressive and sexual behaviours and boar taint is relatively unknown. Before genetic selection for low boar taint can be implemented as a welfare friendly alternative to castration, behavioural implications must be understood. Using 119 boars from two farms, aggressive and sexual behaviour was monitored, and an ease of handling assessment and an open-door test were performed. Androstenone concentrations were determined to assess boar taint. Genotyping was performed to investigate five previously identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Aggression and sexual behaviours were rare and had few differences between high and low boar taint animals. Differences in androstenone between genotypes (P = 0.0238, P = 0.0042, P = 0.0286) were found in three of the SNPs investigated. It was concluded that selection for low boar taint would have no impact on behaviour. Further research is required to investigate SNPs in crossbred animals commonly used within the Canadian pork industry.