Phenotypic and Morphometric Characterization of Local, Improved and Pietrain Stress-Negative Pigs and the Products of their Crossbreeding in Benin
Phenotypic and Morphometric Characterization of Local, Improved and Pietrain Stress-Negative Pigs and the Products of their Crossbreeding in Benin
Constant Boris Bankole1, Ignace Ogoudanan Dotche1*, Serge Gbênagnon Ahounou1, Mahamadou Dahouda2, Issaka Youssao Abdou Karim1, Marcel Senou2
ABSTRACT
The introduction of Pietrain breed into pig farming in Benin has resulted in a notable shift in the racial composition of the pigs being raised. The objective of this study was to describe the morphological and phenotypic characteristics of local, improved, and Pietrain pigs, as well as the products of their crossbreeding. A sample of 178 pigs, aged 8 months, were included in the study. The pigs were divided into the following categories: 48 improved pigs, 24 local pigs, 16 Pietrain pigs, 40 pigs F1 crosses between the Pietrain and the improved, and 50 pigs crossed F1 between the Pietrain and the local pig. The data on morphometric measurements (body length, head length, ear length, pelvis length, pelvic width, chest girth, height at withers, the length of the tail, shoulder width and circumference of hock) were taken on the animals using a Animal Weigh Tape. The phenotype data (snout appearance, coat pattern, coat color, head profile, ear type, ear orientation, skin appearance, hair type and back line) were subsequently recorded following an observation of the animals. These data were subjected to analysis, and the impact of genetic type and sex on morphometric measurements was evaluated using Fisher’s F-test. The Chi-squared test was employed to determine the impact of breed on phenotype data. The morphometric measurements were found to be lowest in local pigs and their crosses with Pietrain, highest in improved pigs, and intermediate in Pietrain and their crosses with improved pigs. There was a significant difference in coat color between the genetic types (p < 0.001). The prevalence of black coat was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in local pig (100 %) and their crossbred(95 %), whereas white coat was more prevalent in improved pig (91.7 %) and their crossbred (90 %). Local and improved pigs exhibited a greater prevalence of long, thin snout (60 to 62.5 %), whereas the snout was shorter and cylindrical in Pietrain (100 %) and their crossbred (100 %) (p < 0.05). The findings indicate that local, improved, Pietrain, and crossbred pigs can be distinguished morphometrically and phenotypically.
Keywords | Pig breed, Phenotype, Body measurements, Crossbreeding, Pietrain, Benin
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