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Pigs play a major role in socioeconomic life of the people; it serves as a source of income for rural population and fulfill important role in culture and food security. Fifty-one weaners were randomly selected at 9, 17 and 25 weeks of age for analysis. Blood from the jugular vein of the weaners was taken to the laboratory for analysis. The leaukocyte parameters used for this study were White blood cell count (WBC), Lymphocyte (LYM) count, Neutrophil (NEU) count, Eosinophil (EOS) and Monocyte (MON) count) and Platelet (PLT) count. Data collected on these leaukocyte parameters were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) while the means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. The results showed that at 9 weeks of age, compared with the female hybrid, the male hybrid had higher PCV, NEU and EOS (33.12% ± 2.73%, 31.00% ± 3.37% and 0.38% ± 0.18% respectively) values, while the female NIP had higher WBC, LYM and MON (24.55 ± 1.09 × 103/μl, 56.00% ± 3.24% and 0.50% ± 0.50%) values respectively. At 17 weeks of age, the male hybrid had higher WBC and NEU (32.18 ± 1.92 × 103/μl and 32.38% ± 3.56%) values while the female had higher PCV, LYM, EOS and MON (42.50% ± 1.50%, 63.00% ± 5.0%, 2.50% ± 2.50% and 4.50% ± 1.50%) values. At 25 weeks of age, the female hybrid had higher values in all the parameters with the exception of NEU and MON where male had higher values. These ages can be used as criteria for selection for immunocompetence in pigs.

This work investigated on the presence of African swine fever virus (ASFV) in Nigerian Indigenous pig (NIP), its hybrid and backcross using Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening method on the extracted DNA and haematological screening from these pig bloods. Pig populations selected from Southwestern Nigeria were used for this study. ASFV infected blood samples collected from the University of Ibadan were used as positive control. White blood cell count was significantly highest in hybrid (31.27 ± 1.79 × 103/μl) and higher in backcross (27.71 ± 2.01 × 103/μl) compared with NIP (18.16 ± 3.01 × 103/μl) for NIP, and while Lymphocyte count was found to be highest in hybrid (86.17% ± 1.95%) and lowest in backcross (56.23% ± 1.17%). The PAS primers (PAS1F: 5’-ATG GAT ACC GAG GGA ATA GC-3’ and PAS2R: 5’-CTT ACC GAT GAA AAT GAT AC-3’) amplified the 278 bp of ASFV in the DNA extracted from NIP, its hybrids and backcross. In conclusion, this study has shown that NIP, its hybrid and backcross have ASFV in their genome in an ASF-prone environment and thus confirming the continuous prevalence of ASF in Southwest Nigeria. This is an on-going research where the severity and virulence of the virus has to be measured.

This work investigated the presence of African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) in Nigerian Indigenous Pig (NIP) using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) screening method on the extracted DNA from the pig blood. NIP population selected from south western Nigeria were used for this study. ASFV infected blood samples collected from the University of Ibadan were used as positive control. Adiscrete and specific band was observed in both NIP and the infected samples show the presence of ASFV in NIP. The bands were of the expected size 278 base pairs (bp). The implication of this finding is that NIPs have domiciled ASFV without showing any clinical symptoms.