FACTORS INFLUENCING POST WEANING GROWTH PERFORMANCE IN CROSSBRED PIGS*

The study was conducted on 1201 pigs to determine the factors influencing post weaning body
weights and daily gains in LWY-desi crossbreds and to estimate heritabilities and correlations. The
overall least squares mean body weights at 12, 16, 20, 24, 28 and 32 weeks of age were 14.40 ± 0.13,20.38 ± 0.22, 27.41 ± 0.41, 34.68 ± 0.47, 44.08 ± 0.53 and 52.37 ± 0.56 kg, respectively and theoverall least squares mean ADGs during 8-12, 12-16, 16-20, 20-24, 24-28, 28-32 and 8-32 weeks were 0.14 ± 0.003, 0.20 ± 0.004, 0.23 ± 0.01, 0.23 ± 0.01, 0.26 ± 0.01, 0.27 ± 0.01 and 0.26 ± 0.01 kg, respectively. The heritability estimates of body weights ranged from 0.22 ± 0.24 to 0.80 ± 0.27 and those of the ADGs varied between 0.07 ± 0.15 and 0.90 ± 0.27. Genetic and phenotypic correlations among body weights were mostly positive and high and those among average daily gains were very low in magnitude.