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Different Measures of Efficiency and Their Phenotypic Relationship with Production Traits of Nigerian Indigenous and Large White Pigs in a Humid Tropical Environment

Friday, August 22, 2014
Posters (The Westin Bayshore)
Everestus Akanno , Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
Victor Okoro , Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
Sylvester N. Ibe , Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
Oliver O. Emenalom , Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
Nnayere O. Aladi , Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
Edehe B. Etuk , Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
Uduak E. Ogundu , Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
James N. Okeudo , Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
Mercy O. Obike , Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
Halen O. Obikaonu , Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
Charles I. Okoli , Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
Abstract Text:

The objective of this study was to compare different measures of efficiency in Nigerian Indigenous (NI) and Large White (LW) pigs and to assess their phenotypic relationship to production traits. A total of 51 pigs that consisted of 22 NI, 20 LW and 9 F1 crossbreds were used. Production traits and different measures of efficiency such as residual feed intake (RFI) and residual intake and BW gain (RIG) were studied. Least square method was used to analyze the data. The results showed that LW pigs performed better than the NI pigs for many of the studied traits and their effects on these traits differed significantly (P < 0.05). The results of this study suggest that phenotypic selection on low RFI and high RIG values may improve feed efficiency and growth rate without adversely affecting other performance indices in pigs raised under tropical environment.

Keywords:

feed efficiency

growth

tropics

See more of: Posters: Adaptation and Selection in Harsh Environments (Group 2)
See more of: Genetic Improvement Programs: Selection for harsh environments and management of animal genetic resources
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