Veterinarija ir Zootechnika

The study aimed to evaluate the productive performance of purebred and crossbred gilts under practical production conditions in Slovakia. A total of 164 gilts representing three pure breeds (Large White, Landrace, Duroc) and three hybrid combinations (LW×LA, LA×DU, LW×DU) were assessed for growth intensity, back fat thickness and lean meat content, with all traits standardized to a live weight of 100 kg. Significant differences (P<0.001) were observed between purebred and crossbred groups. Crossbred pigs achieved faster growth (ADG100 635.93 g/day) but showed higher back fat deposition, whereas purebreds exhibited superior carcass leanness (LMC100 62.72%). Within purebreds, Duroc demonstrated the highest lean meat percentage and the lowest fat thickness, while among hybrids the LW×LA combination displayed the most favourable balance of growth and carcass traits. Correlation analysis confirmed strong biological relationships between growth and carcass parameters, particularly the antagonism between backfat and lean meat content. The findings emphasize the influence of genetic background on production efficiency and highlight the advantages of specific crossbreeding strategies in optimizing pig performance.