Abstract Pig production contributes to environmental pollution through excretion of phosphorus and nitrogenous compounds. European pig production requires annual imports of currently 36 million tons of soya bean, because domestic plant protein sources often do not meet the required protein quality. Most of the mineral phosphate sources are also imported. It is therefore desirable to improve nutrient deposition efficiency through selective breeding, that is to realise similar growth rates and carcass compositions as currently achieved but with a lower intake of dietary crude protein or phosphate. For a preliminary evaluation of the potential of selecting for increased nutrient deposition efficiency, we estimated genetic parameters for nitrogen and phosphorus efficiencies in a Swiss Large White pig population including 294 individuals. Nutrient efficiency phenotypes were obtained from wet‐chemistry analyses of pigs of various live weights. Heritability of nitrogen efficiency was estimated at 41%. Heritability of phosphorus efficiency was very low (0.3%), but positive genetic correlations with nitrogen efficiency suggest that breeding for nitrogen efficiency would positively affect phosphorus efficiency. Further studies are needed to improve the quality of estimates and to obtain accurate high‐throughput measures of nutrient efficiency to be implemented on farms.

中文翻译：

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使用化学分析研究瑞士大型白猪种群中氮和磷效率的遗传改良潜力

摘要 养猪生产通过排泄磷和含氮化合物导致环境污染。欧洲养猪生产目前每年需要进口 3600 万吨大豆，因为国内的植物蛋白来源往往达不到要求的蛋白质质量。大多数矿物磷酸盐来源也是进口的。因此，希望通过选择性育种来提高养分沉积效率，即实现与目前实现的相似的生长速度和胴体组成，但膳食粗蛋白或磷酸盐的摄入量较低。为了对选择增加养分沉积效率的潜力进行初步评估，我们估计了包括 294 只个体在内的瑞士大白猪种群中氮和磷效率的遗传参数。营养效率表型是从不同活重的猪的湿化学分析中获得的。氮效率的遗传力估计为 41%。磷效率的遗传力非常低（0.3%），但与氮效率的正遗传相关表明，氮效率育种将对磷效率产生积极影响。需要进一步的研究来提高估计的质量并获得在农场实施的准确的高通量养分效率测量。但与氮效率的正遗传相关表明，氮效率育种将对磷效率产生积极影响。需要进一步的研究来提高估计的质量并获得在农场实施的准确的高通量养分效率测量。但与氮效率的正遗传相关表明，氮效率育种将对磷效率产生积极影响。需要进一步的研究来提高估计的质量并获得在农场实施的准确的高通量养分效率测量。