The objective of this paper is to analyze the current population structure, performance testing and breeding scheme of the Bavarian Piétrain as a basis for further optimization studies of the breeding programme. Also current breeding programme, genetic trends and effective population size were estimated. It was found that the Bavarian Piétrain population, its effective population size and the performance testing capacity on station are large. Thus, there is great potential to achieve substantial and sustained breeding progress in the future. The breeding scheme and performance testing leave, however, room for improvement.

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