The effect of boar breed type on reproduction, production performance and carcass and meat quality in pigs

peer-reviewedA total of 720 sows were inseminated with semen from eight commercially available boar breed types (Landrace, Large White, Duroc, Landrace Large White, Landrace Duroc, Landrace Large White Duroc, Large White Duroc and Landrace Large White Pietrain). There were no effects of purebred versus crossbred boar breed type on reproductive performance or on production performance of progeny. The only carcass evaluation parameter affected was V measurement (backfat thickness at the edge of the eye muscle) which was 2 mm thicker (P < 0.05) for the progeny of crossbred boars. Meat from pigs of purebred boars breed had a higher proportion of intramuscular fat than that from crossbred boars breed (26.5 v 21.1 g/kg, respectively, P < 0.05). There were inconsistent effects of individual boar breed type on performance, carcass quality and meat qua lity. Producers should consider the variation between the progeny of individual boars to achieve improved production performance. There was also a lack of relationship between backfat at the P2 position and eye muscle area or depth (r −0.03 and −0.01, respectively) which suggests that carcass characteristics other than P2 backfat need to be included in the selection of breeding animals. Similarly, the weak correlations between carcass and meat quality traits (r < 0.3) indicate that if meat quality is to be improved, it must be specifically included in the selection criteria.The authors gratefully acknowledge joint funding for this research from the Pig Production Development Committee in conjunction with the Ulster Farmers’ Union Pigs Committee and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland

Content and form in public address : an analysis of the relative influences of the major components of speech upon the listener

A speech; whether prepared or impromptu, ought to be a communicative process. For a speech when defined as discourse delivered to an audience, (1) is a communicative process by which information may be given and received. Inherent in the phrase given and received is the assumption that the speaker anticipates that his listener will understand and respond, and that the speech will be understood as it was intended. The difficulty present in this intent - response theory is the problem of insuring that the listener will understand enough to respond to what the speaker has said. In an effort to ensure response, a speaker may make use of various factors of speech which help to enhance understanding. What these factors are and how they are observed and responded to by the listener are essential questions to be considered in this study