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| Livestock Research for Rural Development 22 (4) 2010 | Notes to Authors | LRRD Newsletter | Citation of this paper |
Tripura is a landlocked hilly state in north-eastern India. The state extends between 22°56' and 24°32'N and 90°09' and 92°20' E and the altitudes vary from 15 to 940 m above sea level. A good pig genetic resource with distinctively superior production and reproduction characteristics has been identified in Tripura it is commonly known as Mali. The present study was conducted on data pertaining to 98 pigs (6 boars, 30 sows, 20 gilts and 42 piglets) maintained at District Composite Livestock Farm, Nalichara, Dhalai district and Sachirambari village, South Tripura district of Tripura state.
Mali pigs were black in colour with a compact body, thick coarse long hair, short legs and a long tail. The face was narrow with an upwardly curved snout. They possessed medium size hindquarters and drooping rumps. Mali pig attained puberty at 138.3±6.4 days (n=6) in males and 117.9±1.5 days (n=30) in females. Average litter size at birth was 8.6±0.4 (n=30) and litter size of up to 12 was not uncommon. Body weights at birth, weaning, five months, one year and during first farrowing were found 465.2±15.59 gm (n=98), 4.0±0.1 (n=56), 27.4±0.3 (n=56) and 73.4±0.7 (n=36) and 42.1±0.4 kg (n=30) respectively. The average age at first farrowing was 281.4±1.6 days (n=30). The unique germplasm is under constant threat due to indiscriminate breeding with Landrace, Hampshire and Yorkshire.
Keywords: Desi, production traits, vegetarian, wild
Tripura is a landlocked hilly state in north-eastern India. It is one of the seven states in the north- eastern part of India located between 22° 56' and 24° 32' N latitude and between 90° 09' and 92° 20' E latitude (Figure. 1) and the altitudes vary from 15 to 940 m above sea level. The pig population is distributed throughout the state and the topography is undulating.
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The minimum temperature plunges to 10șC during January while maximum temperatures reach 37șC during July. Tripura has a tropical climate and receives rainfall during the monsoons and the annual average is 2100 mm. About 95 per cent of population of Tripura are non-vegetarian, so pork is considered as a priority sector. In this state, pigs contribute to 45.17 per cent of the total meat production during 2007-08. The total pig population in four districts i.e. Tripura West, Tripura South, Tripura North and Dhalai is 263659 out of which crossbred and indigenous pigs comprise 122716 and 140943 respectively (Government of Tripura, Animal Resources Development Department 2009). Pig rearing is, however, almost entirely in the hands of poor people mainly tribal with little resources who continue to follow old methods of rearing. Domestic pigs found in this region are believed to have a common origin with the wild pig Sus scrofa cristatus (MacDonald 2001). Phenotypic variations among different subgroups are very low and they are generally called ‘local pig’ or ‘desi pig’.
A good pig genetic resource with distinctly superior production and reproduction characteristics has been identified in Tripura state. This is commonly known as Mali pig to farmers, researchers, planners and development workers.
There is no literature on physical characterization of Mali pig. Therefore, the present study was carried out to study the phenotypic traits and production performance of Mali pig.
The present study was conducted on data pertaining to 98 pigs (6 boars, 30 sows, 20 gilts and 42 piglets) maintained at District Composite Livestock Farm, Nalichara, Dhalai district and Sachirambari village, South Tripura district of Tripura state. Mean values for physical and production traits were estimated.
The animals were black in colour with a compact body, thick coarse long hair, short legs and a long tail. The face was narrow with an upwardly curved snout (Figure. 4). The ears were erect (Figure. 2, 3 and 4).
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| Figure 2. Mali boar |
Figure 3. Mali sow with
piglets |
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They possessed medium-sized hindquarters and drooping rumps (Figure. 2 and 4). The scrotum was tight. Sows possessed about 8 to12 teats. Mean(± S.E.) values for various phenotypic traits measured in piglets, gilts, sows and boar are given in Table 1.
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Table 1. Mean (± S.E.) values for various physical traits (cm) in Mali pigs |
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Character |
Piglets (n= 42) |
Gilts (n=20) |
Sows (n= 30) |
Boars (n= 6) |
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Body length |
39.9±0.2 |
65.6±0.5 |
66.7±0.7 |
67.3±1.5 |
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Height at withers |
29.0±0.3 |
64.3±0.7 |
65.4±0.3 |
65.8±0.7 |
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Chest girth |
40.6±0.1 |
118.0±0.6 |
120.0±0.2 |
120.0±0.4 |
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Abdominal girth |
36.5±0.3 |
121.0±1.1 |
120.0±1.0 |
120.0±1.7 |
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Height at loin region |
25.2±0.1 |
60.8±1.0. |
60.8±0.8 |
58.7±1.5 |
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Head length |
10.6 ± 0.1 |
22.8 ± 0.4 |
23.3 ± 0.3 |
23.7 ± 0.9 |
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Face length |
11.5 ± 0.1 |
21.2 ± 0.5 |
20.1 ± 0.6 |
23.7 ± 0.9 |
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Snout |
4.6±0.1 |
6.9±0.1 |
6.9±0.1 |
7.3±0.2 |
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Ear length |
4.9±0.1 |
8.1±0.2 |
8.2±0.1 |
8.5±0.1 |
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Tail length |
9.8±0.11 |
23.3±0.2 |
22.8±0.2 |
22.6±0.7 |
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n- No. of animals |
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Males were aggressive in nature and sows showed strong mothering abilities. Nesting behaviour was common in sows under village conditions before farrowing and after farrowing they became very ferocious. Stampede death of piglets during nursing was negligible as sows lay down very carefully. Male-male agonistic interactions were more and so, they were not kept in same pen.
Mali pig attained puberty at 138.3±6.4 days (n=6) in males and 117.9±1.5 days (n=30) in females. Breeding of gilts was done on the second or third estrus. The length of estrous cycle was 21 days. Gestation period and farrowing interval were 115.0±0.9 and 178.5±0.9 days (n=30) respectively. Mature boars were used for natural service and culled after four to five years of age. Average litter size at birth was 8.6±0.4 (n=30) and litter size of up to 12 was not uncommon. Weaning period was found to be 58.9±0.7 days (n=56). After weaning the litter size remained 7.5± 0.3 (n=30). Body weights at birth, weaning, five months, one year and during first farrowing were 465.2±15.59 g (n=98), 4.0±0.1 (n=56), 27.4±0.3 (n=56) and 73.4±0.7 (n=36) and 42.1±0.4 kg (n=30) respectively. The average age at first farrowing was 281.4±1.6 days (n=30). Within the farm and village condition natural service was practised. Soon after weaning, sows came in heat. Preweaning mortality at farm was estimated as 12.75 per cent. Pigs were sold at the age of about 1 to11/2 years of age and market weight of the Mali pigs was about 70 kg.
Mali pig is under threatened condition in the country and needs immediate attention for conservation. In some places of Tripura state upgrading of Mali pig is done with Landrace, Yorkshire and Hampshire. If it is continued for long time its pure genetic material will be lost in the future. So, detailed characterisation of Mali pig including DNA profiling and estimates of genetic distance are needed immediately to establish the distinctiveness of the breed.
Government of Tripura, Animal Resources Development Department 2009 Activities and achievement 2005-2008. Animal Resources Development Department, Agartala, Tripura (W), India.
MacDonald D (Editor) 2001 The Encyclopaedia of mammals. Oxford University Press, UK, pp. 484.
Received 31 December 2009; Accepted 20 March 2010; Published 1 April 2010
