Authors : Ma.L. Alonso-Spilsbury, F. Clemente Lemus , R. Ram?rez- Necoechea and Daniel Mota-Rojas
Abstract: Traditionally, Mexican Hairless pigs had been discriminated and replaced by genetic improved breeds due to their poor performance; nevertheless, their importance is double since the meat improves the peasants? diet while the income received by fattening and selling the pigs creates an economy base for the communities. Currently there are interdisciplinary efforts to study this biotype, some of them are guided to raise the pigs at different confinement systems. In this study two Mexican Hairless herds kept on grazing conditions in two climates were analyzed and compared. Results show that the two herds under study had similar performances. Also, there were similarities of our results with others in variables like litter size (6.16?2.78), piglets born alive (5.66?2.31), stillbirths (5.66?2.31), litter weight (5.99?2.45) and individual weight at birth (1.09?0.27), therefore we conclude that there is no artificial selection in this biotype. The number of farrowings per sow per year varied from 1.06 to 2.75, showing that females? reproductive performance could be improved if the sows become pregnant while still nursing, taking advantage of the lactational estrus.
Ma.L. Alonso-Spilsbury, F. Clemente Lemus , R. Ram?rez- Necoechea and Daniel Mota-Rojas , 2004. Reproductive Performance of Mexican Hairless Pigs Raised on Grazing Conditions. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 3: 311-315.