ABSTRACT
A total of 32 each of Large White and Nigerian Indigenous Pigs were used in this study. The body weights from birth to weaning (8wks) where collected from each of the two breeds and the data were subjected to a completely randomized design (CRD). Where means were found to be significant separation was done using Duncan New multiple range test. Furthermore, the mean separation for body weights was carried out to determine the sire effect on the progenies. Heritability and genetic correlation estimates were also estimated from the data collected. Significant differences (p<0.05) were obtained between the Large White and the Nigerian Indigenous pigs (NIP). Body weight was also compared among sires for both breeds and was discovered that among the NIP sires and large white, there were significant differences indicating that there are variations among both breeds of pigs. For the heritability estimate of birth to weaning weight, in Large White, it ranged from 0.31 to 0.47 while in the Nigerian Indigenous pigs, it ranged from 0.20 to 0.53. Generally, the heritability estimate was within the moderate range. This implies that additive gene effects are in action rather than non-additive gene effect. The genetic correlation of birth and weaning weight (8weeks) in the Nigerian Indigenous pigs was -0.46, while for the Large White pigs, it was -0.59. This is on the moderate to high side though it is negative. This negative genetic correlation in probably due to environmental influence rather than genetic factors. |
