Genetic and Phenotypic Relationships Involving Age at Puberty and Growth Rate in Gilts

The objectives of this study were to calculate heritability estimates of age at puberty in gilts, and to calculate phenotypic and genetic correlations of age at puberty with growth rates during different age periods and with backfat thickness adjusted to a constant weight. Data used in this study on age and weight at puberty, growth traits and backfat thickness were taken from 1192 gilts raised at the Swine Research Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. The gilts used in this study were farrowed in the fall of the years 1961 to 1964 and the spring of 1964 and 1965. The gilts were composed of 312 dam groups within 123 sire groups. Advisors: L. J. Sumption and R. M. Koc