CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ASHANTI BLACK PIG

Abstract

This study aimed at providing data on the carcass characteristics of the Ashanti Black pig (ABP). Nineteen pigs within liveweights ranges of 40-70 kg were categorised into three live weight grouping as follows: Group 1: 40-49.9 kg; Group II: 50-59.9 kg and Group III: 60-70 kg. Animals in group III recorded a significantly higher mean carcass weight (46.4 kg) than Group I (32.7) (P.0<0.05), but not those in Group II (40.9). Despite the higher mean carcass weight for Group III, the dressing percentage was not significantly different from the other groups (P>0.05). The weights of the main carcass components were also relatively similar in most cases for all the groupings. Generally carcass weight was highly and positively correlated (0.84) with the liveweight. The thigh had a positive correlation with both liveweight (0.77) and carcass weight (0.74) for the overall grouping (40-69.9 kg). Regression models were developed for the estimation of live and carcass weights of the animals using carcass components (thigh, head, empty intestines and belly) that had higher positive correlations with either live or carcass weights