Genetic selection in wild living animals favours a variety of different traits that are important for maintenance, and reproduction. In contrast selection in domesticated animals not only favours individuals that can cope best with the modified circumstances of living under human custody but also is artificially influenced by the needs of man, e. g. for fast growth or high reproductivity, but a...

Genetic parameters were obtained using REML procedures applied to a multiple trait animal model for number born alive (NBA), litter birth weight (LBW), average piglet weight at birth (ABW) recorded in the first, second and third parity (NBA , LBW , ABW ) and 21-day litter weight (LW21 ) for 6050 Large White and Landrace sows. Heritability 1,2,3 1,2,3 1,2,3 1 estimates ranged from 0.06 to 0.22 f...