Effect of Three Indegenous Pig Breeds and Creep Feeding on Pre-Wearing Litter Performance

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the litter performance of three indigenous pig breeds in Lesotho based on birth weight and weaning weight. Twenty-seven suckling pigs weighing (0.90 – 1.30 kg) were assigned to three treatments of three levels of feeds. The experiment was designed as a randomised 3*3 factorial of three breeds and three dietary treatments of Makhulo feeds. Three piglets from each breed received the experimental diet (Makhulo commercial feeds) of 200g/day, 100g/day and 0g/day (control) for a period of six weeks. Mean birth weight was 1.13, 0.97 and 1.23kg for Breed 1 (black with smooth coat), Breed 2 (black with rough coat) and Breed 3 (black and white) and were significantly different (P<0.05). The mean weight at weaning (11.62, 7.85 and 10.72kg) was significantly different among the three breeds. The average weaning weight was 11.74, 10.13, and 8.32kg for the 200g/day, 100g/day and 0g/day, respectively. The GLM procedure was used for analyzing the dataset.