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Linear body measurements and blood hematology and biochemistry parameters were taken on 92 and 15 grower pigs, respectively, chosen randomly from a crossbred F2 population of Nigerian Indigenous (NI) x Landrace pigs to evaluate body conformation and blood marker traits using a multivariate approach. For linear body measurements at pre-weaning stage (4 weeks old), two principal components accounted for 91.63% of the total variation in body conformation traits, while at post weaning stage (12 weeks old), one principal component accounted for 73.63% of the total variations in body conformation traits. The first factor (principal component) accounted for 72.34% of the total variance (body weight) while the second factor accounted for 19.29% (ear length) at pre-weaning stage. While at post-weaning stage only one factor contributed to the total variability of the original six traits tested, with 73.63% (body length). For blood parameters, three principal components accounted for 81.85% of the total variation at pre-weaning stage while 89.44% of the total variation at post-weaning stage was accounted for by four principal components. The first factor (principal component) accounted for 38.048% (Packed cell volume), the second accounted for 24.72% (hemoglobin) and the third accounted for 19.08% (aspartate transaminase). While at the post-weaning stage, the first factor was influenced by red blood corpuscles (37.17%), the second factor had its loading for hemoglobin (25.80%), the third factor had loading for white blood corpuscles (13.67%), while the fourth factor had loading for alkaline phosphatase only (12.80%). Using communality extraction factors, ear length best described body conformation at the pre-weaning stage; whereas, at post-weaning stage, body length was the best descriptor. In blood parameters, packed cell volume best described blood marker traits at the pre-weaning stage; whereas, at the post-weaning stage, red blood corpuscles best described it. Hence, the two extracted factors in linear body measurements and in blood parameters could be considered in breeding programs to improve and predict body conformation in crossbred pigs, as well as predict blood marker traits.

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A 20-week experiment was conducted to determine the relationship between markers and some quantitative traits in the Nigerian Local chicken. A total of fifty normal female chickens, about 16-18 weeks of age were used for the study. Data were collected bi-weekly on physiological and biochemical markers (packed cell volume, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, leucocyte count, blood haemoglobin, blood glucose, rectal temperature) and quantitative traits (egg weight, shell thickness, Haugh unit, body weight, short term egg production) from each bird. The association between each identified marker and the quantitative traits was determined using Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient. Rectal temperature showed significant (P < 0.05) positive association with shell thickness and body weight. Packed cell volume showed significant (p < 0.05) positive association with Haugh unit. However, significant (p < 0.01) negative association was found between rectal temperature and Haugh unit. Packed cell volume showed significant (p < 0.01) negative association with shell thickness and egg weight (p < 0.05). Other markers did not show any significant association with the quantitative traits studied. The results of this study suggest that since packed cell volume and rectal temperature showed definite association with important quantitative traits, they should be included in the marker bank that could be used by animal breeders and producers in marker assisted selection.

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