AUTHOR=Kadirvel Govindasamy , Devi Yumkhaibam Sovarani , Naskar Syamal , Bujarbaruah K. M. , Khargariah Gutum , Banik Santanu , Singh Ningthoujam Suraj , Gonmei Chamniugongliu TITLE=Performance of crossbred pigs with indigenous and Hampshire inheritance under a smallholder production system in the Eastern Himalayan hill region JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2023.1042554 DOI=10.3389/fgene.2023.1042554 ISSN=1664-8021 ABSTRACT=

Pig productivity is very low in the Eastern Himalayan hill region due to the poor performance of local pigs. To improve pig productivity, it was decided to develop a crossbred pig of Niang Megha indigenous and Hampshire as an exotic germplasm. The performance of crossbred pigs with different levels of Hampshire and indigenous inheritance—H-50 × NM-50 (HN-50), H-75 × NM-25 (HN-75), and H-87.5 × NM-12.5 (HN-87.5)—was compared for their performance to find a suitable level of genetic inheritance. Among the crossbreds, HN-75 performed better in terms of production, reproduction performance, and adaptability. Inter se mating and selection were carried out on six generations of HN-75 pigs, and genetic gain and trait stability were evaluated and released as a crossbred. These crossbred pigs attained body weights of 77.5–90.7 kg by 10 months of age, with FCR of 4.3:1. Age at puberty was 276.66 ± 2.25 days, and average birth weight was 0.92 ± 0.06 kg. Litter size at birth and weaning were 9.12 ± 0.55 and 8.52 ± 0.81. These pigs have good mothering abilities with a weaning percentage of 89.32 ± 2.52%, good carcass quality, and consumer preference. The lifetime productivity for an average of six farrowings/sow showed a total litter size at birth of 51.83 ± 1.61 and total litter size at weaning of 47.17 ± 2.69. In a smallholder production system, the crossbred pigs showed a better growth rate and a higher litter size at birth and at weaning than average local pigs. Hence, the popularization of this crossbreed would enhance the production, productivity, livelihood, and income of the regionʼs farmers.