COI (Cofficent of Inbreeding) is a measure of how closely related your KuneKune’s parents are. The higher the inbreeding coefficient (%), the more closely related they are to there parents. In general, higher inbreeding coefficients are associated with increased incidence of genetically inherited conditions, reduced Fertility, and reduced life span.
OUR FOCUS HERE AT BF FARM IS BREEDING LOW COI PIGS & PIGLETS
WHAT IS WRONG WITH INBREEDING?
WHILE LINEBREEDING HAS SOMETIMES BEEN USED TO REINFORCE DESIRABLE TRAITS, INBREEDING CAN LEAD TO OTHER, UNDESIRABLE AND OFTEN HIDDEN, EFFECTS. IT HAS BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN THAT INBREEDING IN PIGS CAN CAUSE.
What does the number tell me?
The coefficient of inbreeding is the probability of inheriting two copies of the same allele from an ancestor that occurs on both sides of the pedigree. These alleles are "identical by descent". The inbreeding coefficient is also the fraction of all of the genes of an animal that are homozygous (two copies of the same allele). So, for a mating that would result in offspring with an inbreeding coefficient of 10%, there is a one in 10 chance that any particular locus would have two copies of the same allele, and 10% of all of the genes in an animal will be homozygous.
What is a "good" value for COI? What COI is "too high"?
The original purpose of the coefficient of inbreeding was to give breeders a number that would indicate both the amount of benefit to be gained from inbreeding as well as the magnitude of the deleterious effects they could expect. The trick for the breeder then is to weight the benefits and risks of a particular breeding and judge what is an acceptable balance. A low COI will have low risk, but it will also only have a modest benefit. A high COI would produce more consistency and prepotency in the offspring, but there will also be a significant loss of vigor and health.The deleterious effects of inbreeding begin to become evident at a COI of about 5%. At a COI of 10%, there is significant loss of vitality in the offspring as well as an increase in the expression of deleterious recessive mutations. The combined effects of these make 10% the threshold of the "extinction vortex" - the level of inbreeding at which smaller litters, higher mortality, and expression of genetic defects have a negative effect on the size of the population, and as the population gets smaller the rate of inbreeding goes up, resulting in a negative feedback loop that eventually drives a population to extinction.
So, in terms of health, a COI less than 5% is definitely best. Above that, there are detrimental effects and risks, and the breeder needs to weigh these against whatever benefit is expected to gained. Inbreeding levels of 5-10% will have modest detrimental effects on the offspring. Inbreeding levels above 10% will have significant effects not just on the quality of the offspring, but there will also be detrimental effects on the breed.
As the popularity of KuneKune Pig continues to grow. More KuneKunes pigs are being produced from inbred or inferior stock.
Always ask to see the pedigree of the parents, even if you are not purchasing a registered pig. Closley look at the COI
Ask questions. A good breeder will be happy to answer anything you can throw at them. When you buy from us, we encourage you to contact us with any questions or concerns.
ONLY BUY LOW COI PIGS OR PIGLETS!