Genetic studies on sow productivity traits of large white yorkshire crossbred pigs Sharma Gurudutt1, Arora J.S.2, Kumar Dhirendra3,*, Mahajan Vikas3, Thakur M.S.2 1Veterinary Officer (Wildlife), Satpura Tiger Reserve, Hoshangabad, M.P, India 2Madhya Pradesh Pashu-Chikitsa Vigyan Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India 3Division of Animal Genetics & Breeding, SKUAST, Ranbir Singh Pura, Jammu & Kasmir, India *Corresponding Author: Dhirendra Kumar, Email: dr.dhirendrakumar@yahoo.com
Online published on 25 April, 2013. Abstract Sow productivity traits are very important in swine production and formulating its breeding strategies. In present study a total of 1076 records of two different genetic groups i.e. 50% (n=760) and 75% (n=712) Crossbred Large White Yorkshire (LWY) x Desi, from the year 1999 to 2008 maintained at AICRP on Pigs, Livestock Farm, JNKVV, Adhartal, Jabalpur (M.P.) were considered for the study. Least square analysis of variance was performed to study the effect of years, seasons and genetic groups on litter size and litter weights at birth and weaning ages. Least square means of litter weights at birth were observed to be lowest (5.38+0.49) in year 1999 and highest (7.92+0.31) in year 2008 and for litter weights at weaning the lowest (46.48+7.13) in year 2004 and 67.33+6.91 in year (2003). No definite trend over the years were observed, these difference among the years could be due to difference in management practices and hygienic conditions. The genetic group-wise Least Square Means ranged from 7.10±0.31 (75% LWY) to 7.85±0.31 (50% LWY) for litter size at birth while 6.41±0.25 (75% LWY) to 6.92±0.25 (50% LWY) litter size at weaning. The h2 estimate was quite low 0.189 and 0.101 for the litter size at birth and weaning respectively. It can be concluded that 50% exotic germ plasm of LWY is more suitable in terms of sow productivity traits than 75% in tropical-hot-humid environment. Top Keywords Large White Yorkshire Crossbred, Litter size, Litter Weight, Heritability. Top |