Developing an optimized breeding goal for Austrian maternal pig breeds using a participatory approach

Due to economic and animal welfare related issues, the Austrian pig breeding organisations revised their breeding programs. Members of breeding organisations, breeders and academic staff were involved in a participatory process from the beginning. In several meetings and workshops, 11 new fitness traits regarding maternal abilities and piglet vitality were gathered. Therefore, breeders were asked to propose important traits regarding the sow maternal ability as well as piglet vitality. Calm behaviour, milk performance and conformation were mentioned as the most important traits for the sow and suckling behaviour, high birth weight and growth rate for the piglet, respectively. Prior to routine trait recording, feasibility of trait recording was tested under practical conditions. Subsequently, breeders were trained to record the fitness traits on their farms. It has to be emphasised that farmers were highly motivated to record traits comprehensively due to their participation during the process of defining the revised breeding goals. This motivation was also reflected in good data quality.