Genetic relationships between measures of sexual development, boar taint, health, and aggressiveness in pigs

The aim of the study was to estimate genetic relations between sexual development, boar taint, health and aggressiveness. About 1600 Pietrain type (purebred) or Pietrain x Large White type (crossbred) boars were raised in a testing station. Blood samples were collected at about 105 kg liveweight for measuring two sex hormones and two Acute-Phase Proteins (APPs). Animals were slaughtered one week later, measured for boar taint compounds and skin lesions on carcass (LSC), an indicator of aggressiveness. Heritability was moderate for the C-reactive protein (h²=0.24 and h²=0.45, respectively for purebred and crossbred), whereas it was low for the major pig APP (h²=0.06 and h²=0.05). Heritability of LSC was moderate for both types (h²=0.31). High genetic correlations between androstenone and estradiol (around 0.85 for both types) and moderate genetic correlations between LSC and testosterone (around 0.45 for both types) were estimated.