The central concept of sustainable animal breeding is to improve the productivity without increasing the number of animals and/or reducing their health and welfare. However, simultaneously improving production and functional traits is in general a challenge due to the unfavourable genetic correlations between these traits. Therefore it is a need to put more focus on the functional traits and breed for robustness. During her studies, Thu Hong Le investigated the possibility to breed for robust sows by improving the leg quality and conformation traits. She estimated the genetic correlations between leg conformation, reproduction and longevity in Swedish and Danish sows; and identified quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and possible causal genes affecting leg conformation traits in pigs.

The new research findings contribute to the understanding of how robust traits (leg conformation, fertility and longevity) correlate to each other. This knowledge can be used to predict the genetic improvement in a multi-trait breeding program. Also, identified QTLs from QTL mapping could be incorporated into a genomic prediction model to increase the accuracy of the selection, eventually improving the genetic gain for conformation traits.

The PhD degree was completed at Dept. of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Dept. of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Science and Technology, Aarhus University.

This résumé was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Friday 2 December 2016 at 13.15
Place: Audhumbla, VHC hus/building 5, Ulls väg 26, Uppsala, Sweden
Title of dissertation: Breeding for robust sows: Association between leg conformation, fertility and sow stayability
Contact information: Thu Hong Le, e-mail: le.hongthu@mbg.au.dk, tel.: +45 91 73 75 37
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Pekka Uimari, Helsinki University, Finland
Dr. Eli Grindflek, TopigsNorsvin, Norway
Associate Professor Bernt Guldbrandtsen (chair), Aarhus University, Denmark
Docent Renée Båge, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Main supervisors:
Professor Nils Lundeheim, Dept. of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Dr. Elise Norberg, Dept. of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Co-supervisor:
Dr. Katja Nilsson, Dept. of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Dr. Per Madsen, Dept. of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The dissertation is available for reading at the Graduate School of Science and Technology/GSST, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1520, rooms 128-134, 8000 Aarhus C.