ABSTRACTGrowth Indexof piglets (n= 70) of Instructional Livestock Farm, Apollo College of VeterinaryMedicine, Jaipur was studied from birth (day one) to one month of age. Crownrump (CR) length, girth and height were measured with the help of meter scaleand thread. The weight was taken with the help of monopan balance. The datarevealed a variable increase for different parameters on different days.
However, all the parameters increased more (1. 5 to 4 times) in early (week oneto two) part of the month except CR length, which increased slightly more duringthe period of two to four weeks. The CR length, girth, height and weightrevealed a total increase of 101. 73, 110. 65, 160. 25 and 620. 23% respectivelyfrom birth to one month of age.
The piglets gained 21. 67 mean per cent weightper day in contrast to mean percent increase in height (5. 34 percent), girth(3. 67 per cent) and CR length (3. 50 percent).
KEYWORDS: Growth Index, CR Length, Girth, Height, Piglets. INTRODUCTIONPrenatal growth index of goat (Malik et al., 1992) and brain along with its ventricular system of chickembryos (Malik and Singh, 1978) have been reported. However, such studies inpigs appear meager. Hence the present study was undertaken to know the overallgrowth of the piglets in relation to age with reference to CR length, girth, heightand weight on different days during the first week and at a weekly intervalfrom first to fourth weeks of age. MATERIAL AND METHODSSeventy normal piglets were procured from the InstructionalLivestock Farm, Apollo College of Veterinary Medicine, Jaipur for the presentstudy. The piglets were divided into ten equal groups (seven in each group).
First seven groups were monitored daily and later three groups at an intervalof one week. The piglets were weighted in weighing machine/monopan balancewhile CR length, girth and height of piglets were taken with the help of meterscale and thread. Mean, standard error and growth spurt (Percentage increasebetween two successive periods) and a total increase (from birth to one monthof age) for each parameter were calculated by standard method (Snedecor andCochran 1994). RESULT AND DISCUSSIONThe mean and standard error of CR length, girth, height and weightof piglets are shown in Table 1 and their percentage increase in Table 2 and inFigure.
