Sexual dimorphism in morphometric and carcass traits in a pig population at different ages: implications for efficient pig production system

Ufuoma Godstime  Sorhue; Philip Okpako Akporhuarho; Jerome Unukevwere; Stella Onyinye  Onwumere-idolor; Mike Adimabua  Moemeka; Ijeoma Arhere

doi:10.4025/actascianimsci.v48.i1.75777

Authors

Ufuoma Godstime Sorhue Delta State University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8061-6662
Philip Okpako Akporhuarho Delta State University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4957-457X
Jerome Unukevwere Delta State University https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0475-443X
Stella Onyinye Onwumere-idolor Delta State University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0100-3476
Dr Dennis Osadebey University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2956-0987
Ijeoma Arhere Delta State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4025/actascianimsci.v48.i1.75777

Keywords:

body measurement, commercial pigs, ham weight, gender differences, body weight.

Abstract

This study was designed to examine sexual dimorphism for economic traits in pigs. A total of 80 grower pigs averaging 4 weeks of age were randomly allotted into 2 groups with 4 replicates, each comprising of 10 pigs, in a Completely Randomized Design. Data were collected from the 6^th to 18^th week of age. Body weight gain (BWG) and feed intakes (FI) were measured. Morphometric and carcass characteristics measured includes: Body Length (BL), Ham Length (HL), Ear Length (EL), Shank Length (SL) Ham Weight (HW), Head weight (Hw), Neck weight (NW), liver weight (LW), heart weight (Hw) and Offals weight (OW). Male animals displayed significantly higher (p<0.05) body weight (19.75±0.65 compared to 16.39±0.52), final body measurements of body length (86.50±1.10 and 81.03±1.10) and body girth (72.50±0.87 and 70.45±2.11), and a feed conversion ratio of 6.70±0.26 compared to 7.78±0.45, except for weeks 8 and 10 of the study. The ham length was significantly different (p<0.05) at 6 (20.15 vs 18.85), 8 (22.17 vs 21.17), 14 (25.80 vs 24.30), 16 (26.20 vs 22.28), and 18 weeks (25.89 vs 24.65) for males versus females, respectively. A similar trend was observed for shank length, tail length, neck weight, and offal weight. This study concludes that sexual dimorphism exist for the traits measured with males having better body weight gain, carcass traits, and other morphometric traits in commercial pig population. This could possibly guide consumers and pig producers in selection of pigs for important economic traits in pigs with reference to gender.

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