Comparative Blood Glucose Regulation in Indigenous and Exotic Pig Breeds Under Semi-Intensive Management in Cross River State, South South Nigeria

The metabolic adaptation of pig breeds to tropical environments has practical implications for livestock productivity and disease susceptibility. This study compared fasting and postprandial blood glucose concentrations in indigenous Nigerian pigs and Large White exotic breed pigs maintained under semi-intensive management in Cross River State, South South Nigeria. Forty pigs consisting of twenty indigenous and twenty Large White animals were monitored across a twelve-week period using a portable glucometer validated for swine application. Blood samples were collected via the ear vein before feeding and at two-hour intervals following morning feeding to construct glucose response curves. Fasting glucose concentrations did not differ significantly between breeds, but postprandial glucose excursions were markedly higher in Large White pigs, with peak values occurring at the two-hour interval and returning to baseline by four hours. Indigenous pigs demonstrated a more attenuated glucose response, suggesting greater peripheral insulin sensitivity or reduced gastrointestinal glucose absorption rates under the prevailing feeding regimen. Body weight gain and feed intake were higher in Large White animals despite the exaggerated glucose response, reflecting genetic growth potential differences. These findings provide baseline physiological data informing breed selection decisions for smallholder pig farmers in the South South zone. Keywords: blood glucose, pig breeds, postprandial response, Cross River, semi-intensive management.