Performance of the Indigenous Pigs of Nigeria Under Intensive Management Conditions

OBSERVATIONS on some reproductive traits were made on 63 litters of indigenous pigs obtained from pigs selected from an initial group of 60 pigs purchased from local farmers around Ibadan between April 1972 and February 1976. Studies on the growth rate, feed intake and feed efficiency, as well as the proportion of separable tissue in carcass at different terminal weights, rate and efficiency of tissue growth were also carried out with a total of 394 pigs obtained from these litters. For the observations on performance, tissue proportions, tissue growth rate and efficiency of tissue deposition, Large White x Landrace pigs of the same age group were used for comparison at each stage. Litter size averaged 6.7 piglets per sow with a range value of between 4 and 13 piglets. Mean litter birth weight was 6.10 kg, while mean litter weaning weight was 29.4 kg. A preweaning mortality of 15.8% and 4.79% still births were recorded for these indigenous pigs. Daily gain, feed intake and feed conversion efficiency were lower for the indigenous compared to Large White X Landrace pigs. Maximum growth rate for these pigs occured in the growth phase between 45.5 and 56.8 kg. liveweights. Tissue growth rates were lower and the efficiency of tissue deposition poorer in the indigenous compared to the Large White x Landrace pigs. The basic factor underlying the differences in performance of these two breeds would appear to be the inherently different patterns of growth of the respective tissue. The rate and efficiency of tissue growth as well as growth and efficiency of feed utilisation, together indicate that the indigenous pigs should not be reared beyond liveweights between 45.5 and 56.8 kg.