Efficiency of rearing purebred, crossbred and hybrid litters of piglets of English origin during the suckling period

The article aimed to assess the economic efficiency of breeding maternal and paternal pig lines through purebred, linebreeding, crossbreeding, and hybridization methods. It was established that hybridization in producing and rearing suckling piglets increased prolificacy by 4.9 % and improved piglet survival during the suckling period by 0.9 %. As a result, the number of piglets at weaning increased by 5.9 %. A 14.7 % higher growth rate during the suckling period ensured an 8.9 % increase in the live weight of the litter. With an equal market price per 1 kg of live weight, this led to an 8.9 % increase in the market value of the litter, a 17.5 % increase in rearing profitability, and an 18.0 % increase in the level of profitability compared to two-breed crossbreeding of Large White and Landrace pigs. The study revealed the advantage of hybrids over maternal lines in prolificacy (by 8.3 %), number of piglets at weaning (by 8.0 %), total weight gain of the litter during the suckling period (by 13.6 %), and litter weight at weaning (by 14.2 %). Consequently, income from rearing increased by 29.4 %, and profitability rose by 27.6 %. A significant advantage of hybrids over litters from pigs of paternal genotypes was also demonstrated in terms of prolificacy (by 60.4 %), number of piglets at weaning (by 51.6 %), and market value of the litter. Despite a 4.6 % lower survival rate and a 20.6 % lower growth rate of hybrid piglets during this period, hybrid litters outperformed by 27.9 % in income from piglet production and rearing, and by 48.3 % in profitability. It was determined that hybridization in the production and rearing of suckling piglets contributed to increased prolificacy, higher number and weight of piglets at weaning, which, in turn, led to higher market value of the litter, improved rearing income, and increased profitability compared to maternal genotypes and two-breed crosses of Large White and Landrace pigs. The study confirmed that hybrids significantly outperformed the paternal genotypes in prolificacy, number of piglets at weaning, cost of rearing a litter during the suckling period, market value at weaning, and levels of income and profitability. It was also found that hybrid piglets had the lowest cost per litter at weaning, surpassing crossbred analogues by 4.9 %, purebred animals of maternal genotypes by 9.8 %, and piglets from paternal lines by 36.2 %. Thus, hybrid animals proved to be the most economically efficient, having the lowest cost per litter, highest profitability, and overall level of economic return, confirming the feasibility of using hybridization to enhance the economic efficiency of pig production.