Genet. Sel. Evol. 39 (2007) 583-597
DOI: 10.1051/gse:2007023

Chromosomal control of pig populations in France: 2002-2006 survey

Alain Ducos, Hélène-Marie Berland, Nathalie Bonnet, Anne Calgaro, Sébastien Billoux, Nicolas Mary, Amélie Garnier-Bonnet, Roland Darré and Alain Pinton

UMR INRA-ENVT 444 Génétique cellulaire, École nationale vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 chemin des Capelles - BP 87614, 31076 Toulouse cedex 3, France

(Received 29 January 2007; accepted 26 February 2007; published online 27 September 2007)

Abstract - The chromosomal control of pig populations has been widely developed in France over the last ten years. By December 31st, 2006, 13 765 individuals had been karyotyped in our laboratory, 62% of these since 2002. Ninety percent were young purebred boars controlled before service in artificial insemination centres, and 3% were hypoprolific boars. So far, 102 constitutional structural chromosomal rearrangements (67 since 2002) have been described. Fifty-six were reciprocal translocations and 8 peri- or paracentric inversions. For the first time since the beginning of the programme and after more than 11 000 pigs had been karyotyped, one Robertsonian translocation was identified in 2005 and two others in 2006. The estimated prevalence of balanced structural chromosomal rearrangements in a sample of more than 7700 young boars controlled before service was 0.47%. Twenty-one of the 67 rearrangements described since 2002 were identified in hypoprolific boars. All were reciprocal translocations. Twelve mosaics (XX/XY in 11 individuals, XY/XXY in one individual) were also diagnosed. Two corresponded to hypoprolific boars, and three to intersexed animals. The results presented in this communication would justify an intensification of the chromosomal control of French and, on a broader scale, European and North-American pig populations.

Key words: chromosome / translocation / inversion / pig / reproductive performance

Correspondence and reprints: a.ducos@envt.fr

© INRA, EDP Sciences 2007