A team of researchers gathered around the project “Selection of Breeding Animals Aimed at Genetic Improvement of Pig Meatiness”, supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia (Contract No. 002809785 2024 14846 005 001 327 002), has made a significant step forward in applying modern methods of genetic evaluation in animal husbandry.
The project is implemented by the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade (coordinator), in cooperation with the Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade, and the Agricultural Advisory and Professional Services of Belgrade and Šabac.
Project team members: Dr. Mladen Popovac (coordinator), Dr. Dragan Radojković, Dr. Radica Đedović, Dr. Ivana Božičković, Dr. Marija Gogić, Dr. Čedomir Radović, Dr. Nenad Stojiljković, Zoran Kozlina, Dragoslav Krainović, and Milica Vuković.
The focus of the research was on the construction of a selection index – a tool that enables more accurate estimation of the breeding value of pigs based on growth traits and carcass quality.
For this purpose, a comprehensive database containing 5,861 animals was analyzed, collected over six years of performance testing. After data refinement, 2,250 animals of the Large White breed were included in the final dataset.
The results showed that the new index has exceptionally high accuracy (r = 0.94), making it a reliable indicator of each animal’s genetic potential. In practical terms, this means that future generations can be expected to show an increase in daily gain by 43–64 g and an improvement in carcass meat percentage by 0.35–0.53%.
As part of the project activities, two workshops were held with breeding organizations, farmers, and livestock experts – on October 10 at the Agricultural Advisory Service in Sremska Mitrovica and on October 16, 2025, at the Institute for Animal Husbandry in Belgrade.
The workshops focused on the practical application of research results and the discussion of possibilities for improving selection programs in domestic herds.
Main conclusions:
The developed selection index model represents a major step forward in advancing Serbian pig breeding, bringing together science, practice, and innovation toward a shared goal – to create genetically superior and more productive animals for the future of Serbian agriculture.
