Effects of Age and Sex on Some Carcass Traits In The Indigenous Nigerian Pigs

Abstract

Animal growth is characterized by two significant changes in the tissues, namely: increase in size and weight, and changes in the proportion and distribution of these tissues with respect to other carcass components. The commercial quality of a pig carcass is determined by the proportions of these tissues which in turn depend on: the age of the animal (McMeekan, 1940 and Barry et al., 1970) sex (Charette, 1961; Blair and English, 1965 and Knudson et a(., 1985), breed (Fetuga et al., 1976 and Evans and Kempster, 1979), nutrition (Hanson et al., 1975; Carden and Goenaga, 1979 and Davies et al., 1980).