CORRELATED RESPONSES IN WEIGHTS OF IMPROVED INDIGENOUS PIGS - NIGERHYB - IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Data collected on the weight of 1681 offsprings of improved indigenous pigs from 1984 to 1990 were used to obtain heritability estimates; genetic, environmental and phenotypic correlations among weights and gains from birth to mature and yearling weights. The estimates were used to predict expected change from correlated responses from single trait selection. Heritability estimates obtained from paternal half-sib analysis were birth weight 0.90 ±0. 08; gain from birth to weaning 0.14±0.11; 150 days weight 0.49±18; gain from weaning to 150 days 0.49±0.15; weight gain from.150 days to yearling weight 0.41 ± 026 and yearling weight 0.66±. Genetic correlations among all weights and gains were fairly high, ranging from 0.25 to 0.81. Selection for individual pig weight at 56 days appear to be a single good criterion for selection for growth at other ages with coheritabilities of 0.669 for 56 and 150 days weight and 0,856 for 56 days versus yearling weight.