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