Relationship between Mycoplasma hyosynoviae infection and front limb weakness in Duroc swine

A relationship between degree of Mycoplasma hyosynoviae infection and front limb soundness was examined in 254 Duroc swine. These pigs represented 3 lines of pigs (structurally sound, control, and unsound) from a population divergently selected for 4 generations for front limb soundness. Analysis of sera collected every 4 weeks between 6 and 26 weeks of age yielded complement-fixing antibody titers that were believed to be indicative of the degree of natural infection with M hyosynoviae. Analysis of several variables defined by using titer values failed to reveal significant differences among the 3 selected lines, but trends indicated higher mean and peak titer values for pigs from the unsound line. Correlations between titer variables and front limb soundness variables within genetic groups were low and not significantly different from zero. Correlations between all titer variables were calculated; the correlation between mean titer and peak titer was 0.81 (P less than 0.01), and between mean titer and age at detection of first titer, was -0.56 (P less than 0.01). Pooled heritability estimates were 0.51 +/- 0.28 for mean titer and 0.28 +/- 0.25 for peak titer.