FACTORS AFFECTING PRE-WEANING BODY WEIGHTS AND GROWTH RATES IN CROSSBRED PIGS

Data pertaining to the pre-weaning body weights and average daily gains of 2909 piglets belonging to two crossbred (50% and 75% LWY-Desi) genetic groups were analyzed. Genetic group, period and season of birth and LSB in general, affected all the body weights highly significantly. The overall least-squares mean body weights were 1.11 +/- 0.01, 2.16 +/- 0.01, 3.20 +/- 0.02, 4.32 +/- 0.02, 5.44 +/- 0.03, 6.52 +/- 0.04, 7.65 +/- 0.04, 8.79 +/- 0.05 and 10.13 +/- 0.06 kg at birth, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 weeks age, respectively. The overall least squares mean ADGs during 0 and 1, 1 and 2, 2 and 3, 3 and 4, 4 and 5, 5 and 6, 6 and 7, 7 and 8 and birth and 8 weeks were 0.149 +/- 0.002, 0.148 +/- 0.002, 0.158 +/- 0.002, 0.161 +/- 0.002, 0.154 +/- 0.002, 0.161 +/- 0.002, 0.165 +/- 0.003, 0.191 +/- 0.003 and 0.161 +/- 0.001 kg, respectively. Genetic and phenotypic correlations among body weights were mostly positive and medium to high. Correlations among average daily gains were very low and without any trend.