Further observations on the effects of growth checks in pigs of 50 lb. live-weight and over

1962 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. M. Lucas ◽  
R. M. Livingstone ◽  
I. McDonald

Forty-eight individually-fed Large White pigs, initially 10 weeks of age, were used to test the effects of growth checks induced by severe restriction of feed intake. The checks were imposed at 50 lb. or 100 lb. live-weight and lasted for 5 weeks, during which live-weight gains averaged only 1·6 lb. and 4·1 lb. per pig, respectively. The daily feed allowances of the unchecked controls and of other pigs while not on check were according to a fixed scale based on live-weight. All pigs were slaughtered as their individual weights reached 200 lb. and a number of measurements were made on the carcasses.Excluding the period of the check, efficiency of feed conversion and rate of gain were better for pigs checked at 50 lb. than for the controls. The difference in age at a given weight caused by the check was narrowed by about 6 days at the end of the experiment. Indications of a similar compensation in growth of pigs checked at 100 lb. were mostly explained by the rapid growth of these pigs before 100 lb. and by the sudden increase i n their weight at the end of the check period which was probably due to increased gut fill.A check at 50 lb. or 100 lb. did not affect either the specific gravity of the carcass, which was taken as an indication of the overall proportion of lean to fat, the area of ‘eye’ muscle, the depth of backfat over the shoulder, the thickness of streak or the Danish ‘slight of lean’ measurement, but the check at 50 lb. increased the thickness of fat at position (1) over the ‘eye’ muscle. Both checks increased the minimum thickness of back fat in females but not in castrates and reduced the average rump fat in castrates but not in females. It was concluded that the checks did not affect carcass composition although they probably caused changes in the distribution of the backfat.

1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. Sather ◽  
S. D. M. Jones ◽  
S. Joyal

A total of 80 pigs, representing Large White and Landrace boars and gilts were slaughtered at an average live weight of 92.3 kg (80.5 – 102.5 kg). Boars were housed in groups of five pigs per pen, and were individually fed to appetite twice daily for a period of 45 min. Gilts were housed in groups of 12 pigs per pen. The diet consisted of 21% crude protein with 3300 kcal kg−1 digestible energy. Carcasses were weighed on the slaughter floor and cooled at 1 °C for 24 h prior to dissection of the left side into fat, bone and lean. There were no significant breed-by-gender interactions for growth, carcass and meat quality traits. These pigs had low average backfat, when measured ultrasonically according to Canadian Swine Improvement Program standards on the live pig (gilts 12.3 mm, boars 10.1 mm), high average daily gain (ADG: gilts 880, boars 940 g d−1) and low age adjusted to 90 kg (gilts 148, boars 145 d). Large White boars had a lower feed conversion ratio (2.18 vs. 2.32, P = 0.015) and less feed intake per day (2.05 vs. 2.14 kg d−1P = 0.020) than did Landrace boars. There were no significant differences in dissected lean yield between breeds (P = 0.389) or genders (P = 0.148). However, gilts had greater carcass grade fat and greater lean depth measurements than did boars, such that both genders had a predicted lean yield of 51.8%. Gilts (40.8 cm2) had a larger (P < 0.001) longissimus dorsi area than boars (38.0 cm2). There were no breed effects on the lean content of the four major cuts (P = 0.20), but boars had less fat (P = 0.01) and more bone than gilts (P < 0.01). There were few consistent differences in subjective or objective meat quality traits (i.e. color, drip loss) among breeds or genders. Boars had muscle with greater moisture than gilts (P < 0.001) as well as softer fat (P = 0.016). Thus, it appears possible to produce pork of high quality from lean animals and that lean boars efficiently produce carcasses of equivalent yield and quality to carcasses produced by lean gilts. Key words: Swine, boar, carcass composition, meat quality, Landrace, Large White


1981 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 205-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Y. Abdallah ◽  
Karima A. Shahin ◽  
M. G. A. Latif

SUMMARYA sample of twelve buffalo, nine O Friesian × ♀ Egyptian native Baladi (½ Friesian) and nine ♂ Friesian ×♀½ Friesian (¾ Friesian) bulls were individually penned and fed commercially cubed concentrates and roughages from weaning at 100 kg and slaughtered over the live-weight ranges 161–560 kg for buffaloes and 176–448 kg for cattle. Weights of gut fill (GFW), empty body (EBW), offals (TOW) and carcass were recorded. Right sides of all carcasses were jointed then dissected into muscle, fat, bone and ‘other tissues’. Analysis of covariance based on the allometric equation Y = aXb was applied to assess growth patterns (estimated from the slopes) and compositional differences (estimated from the intercepts).The effect of genotype-group was not statistically significant on EBW at the same fasted body weight and cold carcass weight at the same EBW. However, the buffalo empty body contained (P < 0·05) more offal than the ¾ Friesian empty body and heavier TOW and lighter hot carcass than ½ Friesian empty body of the same weight.No significant genotype-group differences were found in the slope of the regression of weight of total side muscle (TSM), total side fat (TSF), subcutaneous fat, intermuscular fat and total side bone (TSB) on dissected side weight (DSW) and ½ EBW. Comparison of adjusted means, however, showed buffaloes to have significantly more TSF and TSB but less TSM than the Friesian cross-breds. Most of the difference in TSF was due to more subcutaneous fat in the buffaloes than in the Friesian cross-breds. In all comparisons the two Friesian cross-bred groups did not significantly differ from one another.The results indicate that Egyptian buffaloes may be earlier maturing than Friesian cross-bred cattle and buffaloes of other countries. It was also concluded that in order to produce desirable carcass of fat:muscle ratio of 1:5, Egyptian buffalo bulls should be slaughtered to produce carcasses of slightly more than 230 kg whereas ½ Friesian and ¾ Friesian bulls can be taken to heavier weights. Methods for reporting carcass compositional data are discussed.


1967 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Swan ◽  
G. E. Lamming

Three groups of eight yearling Friesian steers were fed on pelleted diets containing ground barley straw, maize and soya bean meal, the percentages of straw in the diets being 10, 30 and 50 (treatments 1, 2 and 3). The crude protein level was adjusted to 12% in all diets on an air-dried basis.Daily live-weight gain for treatment 2 was 7% greater than for treatment 1, and 12% greater than for treatment 3. Voluntary feed intake was also greater in treatment 2, by 16% when compared with treatment 1 and 4% when compared with treatment 3. The efficiency of feed conversion decreased by 10% for each 20% increase in dietary straw level.Weight loss during lairage was greater on treatment 3, as were total gut fill and omasum weight. The bone content of carcasses was similar for all treatments; carcass lean was increased in treatment 2. Carcass and channel fat was severely depressed in treatment 3.The results are discussed in relation to dietary effects on carcass composition.


1972 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Lodge ◽  
B. Hardy ◽  
D. Lewis

SUMMARYTwo barrows and two gilts from each of 16 litters, by Landrace sires out of Large White × Landrace females, were fed individually one of 4 dietary protein levels (approximately 14%, 17%, 20% and 23% CP) at a common energy level (approximately 3165 kcal/kg DE), from an initial weight of 23 kg to slaughter at 59 kg.The 17% CP diet gave 19% faster growth and 17% better feed conversion than the 14% CP diet (P < 0·01) with no evident change resulting from further increase in protein level, while the 23% CP diet gave 29% more lean than the 14% CP diet (P< 0·01), as assessed by dis-section of a sample joint.There were no significant differences between sexes in growth rate, efficiency of feed conversion or carcass composition. Only depth of backfat on the shoulder and at ‘K’ and carcass length showed significant (P < 0·05) sex differences, and the only sex × diet interaction was in eye-muscle area. The results are discussed in relation to those presented in the previous three papers of the series.


1972 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Lodge ◽  
M. E. Cundy ◽  
R. Cooke ◽  
D. Lewis

SUMMARYForty-eight gilts by Landrace sires on Large White × Landrace females were randomly allocated to eight pens and within pens to six treatment groups involving three diets and two levels of feeding from 23 to 59 kg live weight. All diets were formulated to have approximately the same ratio of digestible energy to crude protein (160 kcal DE/unit % CP) but different energy and protein concentrations: (A) 3500 kcal/kg DE and 21 % CP, (B) 3150 kcal/kg DE and 19% CP, and (C) 2800 kcal/kg DE and 17% CP. Amino acid balance was maintained relatively constant with synthetic lysine, methionine and tryptophan. The levels of feeding were such that the lower level of diet A allowed an intake of energy and protein similar to the higher level of diet B, and the lower level of B was similar to the higher level of C.On the lower level of feeding, growth rate, efficiency of feed conversion and carcass fat content increased linearly with each increment in nutrient concentration; on the higher level of feeding growth rate and EFC increased from diet C to B but not from B to A, whereas carcass fat content increased linearly with diet from the lowest to the highest concentration. There was a non-significant tendency for the higher density diets at a similar level of nutrient intake to give better EFC and fatter carcasses than the lower density diets.


1964 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henning E. Nielsen

Sixteen blocks of eight littermate pigs were weaned at 3 weeks of age and each divided into four groups. Various levels of nutrition were applied to the pigs so that the four groups reached 20 kg. at 59, 68, 80 and 91 days of age, respectively.Only small differences were observed between groups in feed conversion ratio to 20 kg.; however, Group 4 required more feed per kg. gain than the three other groups.During the second period (20–90 kg.) the pigs in each group were divided into two sub-groups, which were on a high and a low plane of nutrition respectively. In both sub-groups the type of feeding before 20 kg. influenced the average daily gain and feed conversion ratio. The older the pigs were at 20 kg. the higher the daily gain and the lower the feed conversion ratio in the following period. There was an increase in daily feed intake with increased age at 20 kg. for pigs fed ad lib. during the second period.An increase in age at 20 kg. caused a significant decrease in thickness of backfat, a greater area of eye muscle and a smaller area of fat overlying muscle. For pigs fed ad lib. the area of eye muscle was significantly increased by a higher age at 20 kg. live-weight.


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-54
Author(s):  
Nadezhda Palova ◽  
Jivko Nakev ◽  
Teodora Popova ◽  
Maya Ignatova

Abstract(An experiment with two groups of East Balkan pigs – castrated males (n=10) and females (n=10), was carried out to study the growth performance and fattening abilities of the animals from the weaning until slaughter. The pigs were included in the trial at 60 day age. The average live weight of the castrated males was 8. 65±1.08 kg and for the females, 8.5±0.62 kg.The pigs were reared using traditional technology, grazing on natural pastures in the Strandzha mountain, Bulgaria. In autumn, acorns were naturally present in their diet. According to the category, the animals additionally received ground organic feed (50% barley and 50% wheat). The trial lasted 304 days (from February to November, 2019). During this period the final live weight of the male castrated pigs reached 88.00 kg while that of the females was 84.4 kg. The difference, however, was not significant. Furthermore, no significant differences in the growth performance characteristics that could be attributed to the sex of the animals were observed. The average daily gain of both sexes tended to be lower in summer and higher in autumn. The feed conversion ratio was higher in summer. The animals showed high average daily weight gain at pasture when their live weight was over 50 kg.


1988 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 401-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Doney ◽  
J. A. Milne ◽  
T. J. Maxwell ◽  
Angela M. Sibbald ◽  
A. D. M. Smith

ABSTRACTThe effects of live weight at weaning on carcass composition were studied with 104 Scottish Blackface lambs offered two diets differing in protein: energy ratio. Groups of lambs were slaughtered at initial live weights of 24·1 (s.e. 1·48) kg (LL) and 28·9 (s.e. 1·67) kg (IL) and at 33 kg, 38 kg, 43 kg, 53 kg and mature live weight.Lambs were offered two diets — low protein: energy ratio (LP, 122 g crude protein (CP) per kg dry matter (DM): 10·4 MJ metabolizable energy (ME) per kg DM) and high protein: energy ratio (HP, 176 g CP per kg DM: 10·4 MJ ME per kg DM). The LP diet was offeredad libitumand the HP diet was restricted to a similar mean level. Muscle, fat and bone tissues in the carcass were separated and weighed and the carcass and non-carcass component tissues were analysed for chemical fat, protein and ash.Daily live-weight gain (DLWG) of HP lambs (148 (s.e. 8·1) g/day) was significantly higher than that of LP lambs (118 (s.e. 8·1) g/day;P< 0·05) and food conversion ratios were lower up to a live weight of 43 kg (P< 0·05). There were no differences in intake or DLWG between LL and IL lambs. Mature live weight (73·3 (s.e. 1·79) kg) was not related to weaning weight or post-weaning diet.There was no effect of diet on carcass composition at any slaughter weight but LL lambs had a higher fat proportion than IL lambs, which was significant (P< 0·05) at 33 kg only. During the feeding period, the increment of fat tissue per unit increase in live weight (348 (s.e. 15·8) g/kg LW) was not affected by live weight at the start of the diet. The difference between LL and IL lambs in fat proportion was directly related to the difference in weight gain required to reach slaughter weight. The difference was not a function of stage of maturity but only of weaning weight, itself largely determined by pre-weaning nutrition. At higher slaughter weights the relative difference decreased and became non-significant. Hence lambs lighter at weaning would be less suitable than heavier lambs for the production of light-weight lean carcasses.


1972 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. Barber ◽  
R. Braude ◽  
K. G. Mitchell ◽  
R. J. Pittman

SUMMARY1. Twelve blocks of six enzootic-pneumonia-free Large White litter-mate pigs were individually fed, wet, from 20 to 92 kg live weight on six different levels of feed intake. Four groups were fed according to scales based on live weight and two were fed on a ‘semi-ad libitum’ system. One of the scales used was based on the ARC (1967) recommendations.2. Pigs on ‘semi-ad libitum’ feeding grew significantly faster than those on scale feeding although the feed: gain ratios were similar. Differences in performance between the four scale-fed groups were relatively small.3. Although treatment differences in carcass measurements were in the main small, the commercial grading results favoured the carcasses from the scale-fed pigs. The firmness of backfat assessed by thumb pressure was reduced as the level of feeding was increased.4. The results were compared with those obtained in a similar trial carried out at Shinfield in 1957 using pigs of a completely different genetic background. The general conclusions reached were similar in the two trials, that to obtain the most satisfactory overall results some form of controlled scale-feeding was necessary.


Author(s):  
J.D. Wood ◽  
G.R. Nute

There is anecdotal evidence that the meat of wild pigs is particularly tasty and their carcasses are lean. However it may be that the nature of the wild existence - high energy demands, low energy diet, unusual ingredients eg acorns and plant roots - is important in conferring these qualities. This Study was done to determine whether semi-wild pigs - the so called “Iron Age” breed - are different from typical modern white pigs (Large Whites) when both are reared on ‘modern’ commercial diets. Tests on carcass composition and meat quality were therefore made.“Iron Age” pigs (IAP) were formed at the Cotswold Farm Park by crossing the European Wild Pig with the Tamworth. Three litters were obtained from 2 sires and 1 female and the progeny reared from about 20 kg on a pelleted diet (13.0 MJDE/kg) fed ad libitum. Slaughter was at approximately 60 kg live weight for the 18 IAP and 6 Large White (LW) pigs (balanced for sex) used in the tasting tests and between 10 and 240 kg for the dissected animals (250 LW, 19 IAP) - these data were then corrected to 65 kg live weight. The LW pigs were from several litters reared on the Institute farm.


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