Abstract
It is claimed that there is a big fluctuation in the number of vertebrae of swine and that the fluctuation is related to the shapes and quality of carcasses. In the present study, the relationship between the number of vertebrae and growh or both shapes and quality of carcasses of swine was evaluated using the data of 2761 Landrace pigs. The results revealed the following findings.
1. The pigs with above average number of vertebrae tend to have greater body lengths and smaller girth from those with less vertebrae.
2. An evident relationship was identified between the numbers of vertebrae and the lengths of carcasses and back-loin II, which proved to be 1.78 and 2.01cm longer, respectively, per additonal vertebrae.
3. On the basis of a fixed age (in days after birth), the correlation coefficients between the numbers of vertebrae and the lengths of carcasses and back-loin II were identified as 0.390 and 0.621, respectively.
4. No significant difference was noted among various types of vertebrae in terms of average daily weight gain, age to attain a weight of 90kg, on thickness of backfat and belly fat.
The pigs with larger numbers of vertebrae tended to have greater lengths of carcasses and back-loin II and higher percentages of loin and belly, but tended to have smaller loin eye, shoulder, and ham.
