Abstract
This study was carried out to investigate litter traits performance of ASF-recovered pigs at Teaching and Research Farm of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. Data were collected on 52 progenies farrowed by eight (8) sows and two (2) boars, comprising of four (4) Large White sows, two (2) Large Black sows, two (2) Duroc sows, one (1) Large White boar and one (1) NigerHyb boar. These are survivals from ASF outbreak in 2005. Data were collected on the litter traits and subjected to General Linear Model (GLM) procedure using SAS, (1999) statistical package. Results obtained revealed that the litter traits estimates for the cross among the Large White were 6.52±0.26 (litter size at birth), 5.72±0.23 (litter size at weaning), 6.92±0.34 kg (litter weight at birth), 1.05±0.01 kg (average pig weight at birth), 7.08±0.35 (average pig weight at weaning), 12% (pre-weaning mortality) and sex ratio at birth (52%) and at weaning (54%). In the crosses between Duroc and NigerHyb, and Large Black and NigerHyb, effect of dam genotype was significant (P<0.01) on litter weight at birth and weaning, litter size at weaning and average pig weight at birth, higher values were observed in the cross between Large Black and NigerHyb, but not significant on litter size at birth and average pig weight at weaning. The litter traits estimates observed in this study are similar to those reported before the outbreak of ASF in 1997 in Nigeria.
References
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