Effects of feeding space on growing pigs housed with a reduced level of floor space

2000 ◽  
Vol 2000 ◽  
pp. 115-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.C. Penny ◽  
P.J. Penny

The live weight range 20-40 kg is a critical phase for lean growth optimisation. One of the constraints on efficient pig growth is floor space allocation which is often seen as a compromise between maximum performance and economic return / unit of floor space. It is documented that a reduction of floor space, usually by removing or increasing the number of pigs in the pen, decreases both pig growth and feed intake (Kornegay et al 1984). Interpretation of these experiments is difficult, as the modification of other pen resources such as feeding space are not adjusted for. It is therefore hypothesised that by reducing floor space provision whilst at the same time increasing feeding opportunity will optimise pig performance. The objective of this experiment was to test this hypothesis.

Author(s):  
A.L. Lightfoot ◽  
A.W. Armsby ◽  
C.F. Widdows

An experiment at Terrington compared restricted floor feeding with ad libitum hopper feeding of group housed pigs over a weight range of about 35-90 kg. A prototype micro-processor controlled feed dispensing system, developed from the “Pig Code” electronic sow feeder, was used to automatically record ad libitum feed intake. Two dispensers were used to investigate the effect of feeder siting on pig performance and pen cleanliness.


1987 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 217 ◽  
Author(s):  
EB Greer

The effect on pig performance of 2 methods to reduce pen stocking densities was examined using 228 pigs growing from 20 to 100 kg in 7 commercial piggeries. Pigs either: (i) remained in the same pen for the full period; (ii) were moved to a different pen every 4 weeks; or (iii) were mixed, after 8 weeks when they weighed about 50 kg, with half the pigs from a second pen and then moved to 2 new pens. Pigs were fed ad libitum the diet normally used on each farm. Daily gain, feed:gain ratio and backfat depth were unaffected by treatment (P> 0.05). There was an indication (P<0.10) that movement increased daily feed intake and this may have been associated with a slight decline in carcass gradings. Fighting occurred when the pigs were mixed after 8 weeks, but no adverse effects were apparent at slaughter. Floor space allowances for growing pigs can be increased by 2 movement strategies (moving or moving-and-mixing) commonly used by producers, with only slight, if any, detriment to performance.


ZOOTEC ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 86
Author(s):  
Alfred Tamawiwy ◽  
M. Najoan ◽  
J S Mandey ◽  
F. N Sompie

ABSTRACT   EFFECT OF UTILIZATION OF VIRGIN COCONUT OIL (VCO) IN THE DIET ON PIG PERFORMANCE. Utilization of fats and oils in pig diets is of great importance due to their high energy value. VCO is obtained by cold press processing of the kernel from the coconut fruit. Utilization of virgin coconut oil (VCO) in the diets on pig performance.  The present study was designed to elaborate the effect of utilization of VCO in the diets on energy and protein digestibility of growing pigs. The experiment was conducted using 20 castrated male pigs aged 1.5 - 2.0 months weighing 12,0±2,0 kg. The data were analyzed according to the linear model procedure for ANOVA appropriate for Randomized Block Design with 5 treatments and 4 replications. Treatments were formulated as follow: R0 = 100% control diet + 0% VCO; R1 = 99.5% control diet + 1.0% VCO; R2 = 98.0% control diet + 2.0% VCO; R3 = 97.0% control diet + 3.0% VCO; and R4 = 96.0% control diet + 4.0% VCO. Parameters measured were: daily feed intake, daily gain, daily water consumption. The results showed that the utilization of VCO up to 4% in the diets had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on daily feed intake, daily gain, daily water consumption of pigs. It can be concluded that the addition of VCO up to 4.0% in the diets has no significant meaning on pig performance.   Key words: Virgin coconut oil (VCO), Performance, Growing pigs  


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.


1983 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Stewart ◽  
C. W. Holmes ◽  
W. C. Smith ◽  
W. A. G. Charleston

ABSTRACTThe effect of Oesophagostomum dentatum on the performance of growing pigs over the live-weight range 20 to 80 kg was investigated. Fourteen individually-penned pigs in Experiment 1 and 16 group-penned but individually fed pigs in Experiment 2 were orally dosed once with 80 000 or 20 000 larvae respectively at about 18 kg live weight. Worm-free but otherwise similar pigs served as controls. Three energy and nitrogen balance studies were undertaken in two open-circuit calorimeters on four infected gilts and their paired worm-free counterparts on two levels of feeding at 7, 21 and 49 days after infection. Worm burdens averaging 4 255 and 4 722 in Experiments 1 and 2 respectively were recorded post mortem but performance and carcass measurements were not affected, neither were there any clinical symptoms. No significant differences between infected and worm-free pigs were recorded for either apparent digestibility of nitrogen and gross energy or for nitrogen retention. Possible reasons for the lack of measurable effects on pig performance are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maggy Palesa Mabena ◽  
Moses Ratsaka ◽  
Thobela Nkukwana ◽  
Ingrid Malebana ◽  
Douglas Nkosi

Abstract This experiment evaluated varying levels of Amarula (Sclerocarya birrea A. Rich) nut cake (ANC) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics in pigs. Thirty Large White × Landrace (LW × LR) pigs were stratified by weight (average live weight of 20 ± 5 kg) and randomly allocated to the five experimental diets that contained 0 (control), 50, 100, 150 and 200 g ANC/kg DM. Each pig served as a replicate unit, housed individually. Bodyweight, feed intake, average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded weekly throughout the trial period. On completion of the growth trial, following a 3-day adaptation, a nutrient digestibility study was conducted over 5 days. Thereafter, pigs were fasted for twelve hours, weighed, slaughtered, and carcass samples were collected for analysis. Feed intake was not affected by dietary treatment, but ADGs were reduced at ANC levels > 15%, resulting in poor FCR. Protein digestibility was reduced at ANC levels > 15%, while ether extract and fibre levels increased. Warm and cold carcass weights were lower at ANC levels > 15, with improved meat redness and lightness. It was concluded that ANC could replace SBM in the diet of growing pigs at less than 15% inclusion level.


1972 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 449-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Walker ◽  
I. H. Heaney ◽  
D. H. McNally

SUMMARYFour equally spaced feeding levels, estimated to cover the range of commercial practice, were examined using a total of 208 pigs over the live-weight range 28–100 kg. The pigs were penned in groups of six or eight and were balanced for sex within pens. Three centres participated in the experiment contributing five, two and one replicates respectively.Efficiency of feed conversion was not significantly affected over the range of feed intakes studied, thus daily gain was linearly related to feed intake. A 10 decrease in feed intake increased killing-out percentage by 0·3 unit and decreased backfat thickness by 1 mm at both the shoulder and mid rump. The corresponding changes in the percentages of subcutaneous fat plus skin and meat were similar in magnitude at approximately 0·85 unit.Muscle quality was reduced with higher feed intakes but weight of liver, as increased. Details of other offal weights and carcass measurements are given.


2012 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 758-761 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROBIN C. ANDERSON ◽  
NATHAN A. KRUEGER ◽  
KENNETH J. GENOVESE ◽  
THADDEUS B. STANTON ◽  
KATHRYN M. MacKINNON ◽  
...  

Food producing animals can be reservoirs of Campylobacter, a leading bacterial cause of human foodborne illness. Campylobacter spp. utilize amino acids as major carbon and energy substrates, a process that can be inhibited by thymol and diphenyliodonium chloride (DIC). To determine the effect of these potential additives on feed intake, live weight gain, and gut Campylobacter levels, growing pigs were fed standard grower diets supplemented with or without 0.0067 or 0.0201% thymol or 0.00014 or 0.00042% DIC in a replicated study design. Diets were offered twice daily for 7 days, during which time daily feed intake (mean ± SEM, 2.39 ± 0.06 kg day−1) and daily gain (0.62 ± 0.04 kg day−1) were unaffected (P &gt; 0.05) by treatment. Pigs treated with DIC but not thymol tended to have lower rectal Campylobacter levels (P = 0.07) (5.2 versus 4.2 and 4.4 log CFU g−1 rectal contents for controls and 0.00014% DIC and 0.00042% DIC, respectively; SEM = 0.26). However, DIC or thymol treatments did not affect (P &gt; 0.05) ileal or cecal Campylobacter (1.6 ± 0.17 and 4.5 ± 0.26 log CFU g−1, respectively), cecal total culturable anaerobes (9.8 ± 0.10 log CFU g−1), or accumulations of major fermentation end products within collected gut contents. These results suggest that thymol and DIC were appreciably absorbed, degraded, or otherwise made unavailable in the proximal alimentary tract and that encapsulation technologies will likely be needed to deliver effective concentrations of these compounds to the lower gut to achieve in vivo reductions of Campylobacter.


1963 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 294-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Troelsen ◽  
J. M. Bell

The relative feed intake, feed efficiency and carcass characteristics of growing pigs and mice were studied to determine the value of the mouse as a pilot animal in pig nutrition research. Fifteen rations were fed in two experiments to 120 pigs and 120 mice. They were composed of equal parts of wheat and barley, plus one of three levels each of oat hulls, alfalfa meal, wheat bran, cellulose, and corn-cob meal to produce mixtures containing an estimated 62, 65, and 68 per cent of total digestible nutrients. With pigs, data were obtained on feed and growth from 100 to 200 pounds live weight; carcass measurements were made on the slaughtered barrows at 200 pounds. Feed and growth records of mice were kept for 14 days commencing at weaning; the carcasses were then analysed for water, fat, protein and ash.The relative response of the two species is indicated by the following correlation coefficients: feed consumption (0.67); digestibility of dry matter (0.96); digestibility of energy (0.87); consumption of digestible energy (0.79); rate of gain (0.63), and per cent fat in mouse carcasses and back fat thickness in the barrows (0.70). The correlation between per cent fat in mouse carcasses and the R.O.P. score for barrows was −0.67.The mean ratio of swine and mice was 581:1 for physiological body weight (kg.0.75), 693:1 and 654:1 for consumption of dry matter, and digestible energy, respectively, reflecting a relatively greater feed capacity of pigs and a higher energy digestibility by mice. The corresponding ratios for the effects of changes in ration composition were 369:1, 331:1, and 462:1, indicating that the pigs were better equipped to cope with bulky rations. It was suggested that mice were more efficient in conversion of feed to body weight gain because in pigs a greater part of the gain was fat.


2001 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 459-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.S. Ferguson ◽  
G. Lavers ◽  
R.M. Gous

AbstractAn experiment was conducted to measure the effects of stocking density (increased number of pigs per pen) on lysine requirements of pigs grown from 25 to 60 kg live weight. Two hundred and sixty-four female Large White ✕ Landrace pigs were assigned at 25 kg to one of four dietary lysine treatments (13·3 (L1); 11·4 (L2); 9·5 (L3) and 7·6 (L4) g/kg) and either seven or 13 pigs per pen (or 1 0 and 0·5 m2 per pig, respectively). An additional treatment of one pig per pen (20 m2 per pig) was included to compare the responses of solitary- versus group-penned pigs. Animals were given ad libitum access to dietary treatments from a mean pen starting weight of 261 (s.e. 0·35) kg to a mean pen finishing weight of 63·4 (s.e. 0·61) kg live weight. There were no significant interactions between dietary lysine content and floor space per pig on food intake (FI), average daily growth rate (ADG), the amount of food per unit of gain (FCR) and the rate of protein retention (PR). Significant interactions were evident for body composition and the rate of lipid retention (LR). Over the weight range 25 to 40 kg there were significant differences in FI (P < 0·05) and FCR (P < 0·001) between dietary lysine treatments but most of these differences had disappeared over the 40 to 60 kg live weight. Individually penned animals had significantly higher (P < 0·05) FI and ADG than group-penned animals. However, there were no differences between seven and 13 pig per pen treatments. Stocking density had no effect on LR or body protein content but did cause a significant reduction in PR (P < 0·001) and an increase in body lipid content (P < 0·05) as the number of pigs per pen increased from seven to 13. Lysine requirements (expressed in g/day) therefore could be seen to be reduced with increasing stocking density. However, as lysine intake was reduced in group-penned animals, the reduced daily requirement does not necessarily warrant a reduction in the lysine content of the food. Feeding according to the requirements for maximum PR will still produce the best carcass and growth performance irrespective of the group size. The improvement in PR associated with higher dietary nutrient levels did not completely offset the adverse physiological effects of higher stocking density but may partly counteract the effect of reduced lysine intake. However, there were indications that feeding crowded pigs a lower dietary lysine concentration may not further reduce the already diminished protein (lysine) growth rate. An additional experiment was performed to test whether the number of feeder bins may have constrained food intake and therefore growth in group-penned animals. The results of this experiment showed that the number of bins had no significant effect on FI, ADG and FCR in group-penned pigs, and therefore a single feeder bin was not considered a constraining factor in pigs housed with limited floor space.


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