Litter performance characteristics of pigs in tropical south-western Nigeria 1. Breed differences and effects of some non-genetic sources of variation

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Abstract
SUMMARY: Data for 432 litters of pigs were collected from 1965 to 1975 inclusive, at the Fasola Stock Farm, near Oyo in the Western State of Nigeria. The breeds represented were Large White, Duroc and Hampshire, and their crosses. The main objective was to investigate the effects of certain identifiable environmental sources of variation on litter performance characteristics such as litter size, mortality and weight at birth, 3 weeks and 8 weeks of age. Breed and year effects were significant for the litter size traits, but parity of dam, season and breed × season effects were significant only for litter size at birth which increased up to the fifth parity and then declined steadily in subsequent parities. Postnatal pig mortality was affected significantly by breed, litter size at birth and breed × season interaction. It was found that the larger the size of litter at birth the higher the postnatal mortality. Average pig weight at birth was reduced by approximately 0·01 kg for each additional pig in the litter.