Genetic trends for maternal and direct genetic effects on reproductive traits of swine

Data of Duroc, Landrace and Large White swine were used to estimate genetic trends for maternal and direct genetic effects of litter size (TLN) and litter weight (PLN) born alive, litter size (TLD) and litter A eight (PL21) at 21 days and mortality rate (TM). The genetic parameters were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood (REML) method. Estimated genetic direct and maternal trends were obtained by regressing genetic values averages on dam birth year. Estimated genetic direct trends showed no progress or very small progress for litter traits, being these progresses, in some cases, even negatives (-0.0382 to 0.0756 kg in PLN, -0.1119 to 0.1118 kg in PL21, -0.0031 to 0.0509 pigs in TLN, -0.0217 to 0.0084 pigs in TLD and 0.0997 to -0.0059% in TM), showing the difficulty to get high genetic gain in reproductive traits. These results showed the importance of considering relationships informations, in order to obtain higher selection gain for these traits. Estimated genetic maternal trends were, in general. negatives, possibly in function of negative genetic correlations among direct and maternal genetic additive effect.