Comparison Of The Indigenous And Exotic Pure And Crossbred Sows In Southern Nigeria: Relationship Between Dam And Litter Performance

Abstract

The study embraced the evaluation of reproductive efficiency of pure and crossbred exotic and indigenous sows of Nigeria. Characters studied were litter size at birth and weaning, survival at weaning, average pig weight, litter weights at 3,5 and 8 weeks of age and weight loss of the dams during lactation.

Highly significant breed and seasonal effects were recorded in almost all traits studied on litter and piglet performance and the efficiency of milk utilization. No seasonal effect was reported for litter size, milk ingested per piglet and weight lost by the sow. Seasonal factors accounted for 0.43% of variation in litter size but 60.9% of litter weight. Breed differences accounted for 25.7% of birth weight and 59.8% of milk utilization efficiency and the sow age contributed 5.3% of pig birth weight and 36.0% of litter size variation. Pooled estimate indicated average pig birth weight of 1.14kg in the indigenous pigs and 1.54kg for the reciprocal Large White x Landrace piglets; average weaning weights ranged from 4.39 to 9.91kg and preweaning gain from 3.38 to 8.25kg respectively. Litter size at birth also varied from 5.2 in the landrace to 8.4 in the Duroc Large White cross with 4.6 and 7kg weights of pigs weaned respectively.