Effect of supplemental nutrients on the growth performance of sucking pigs

1998 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 883 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. R. Dunshea ◽  
J. M. Boyce ◽  
R. H. King

Twenty-seven sows were allocated at their first farrowing to 3 experimental treatments in which their sucking pigs had access to no supplemental milk, liquid cow milk (CM), or a synthetic milk supplement (SM). Liquid cow milk contained 128 g total solids/kg, 24·2 g CP/kg, 30·4 g fat/kg, and 1·8 g lysine/kg, whereas the supplemental synthetic milk contained 200 g total solids/kg, 102·6 g CP/kg, 36·0 g fat/kg, and 9·0 g lysine/kg. All litters contained 12 pigs and the supplemental milk products were offered ad libitum from Day 4 of lactation until weaning at 28 days of age. Between Days 0 and 14 of lactation, there was no effect of treatment on supplemental milk intake or average piglet growth rate but between Days 14 and 28 of lactation, litters given milk supplements grew faster than litters receiving no supplemental milk. Overall, piglet growth rates between Days 0 and 28 of lactation were greater for litters receiving supplemental milk (297 and 277 g/day for CM and SM litters, respectively) than for litters receiving no supplemental milk (239 g/day). Piglets offered cow milk drank more milk between Days 4 and 28 of lactation than piglets offered the synthetic milk (5·48 v. 2·38 kg/day). Piglets in litters which had access to cow milk visited the supplemental feeder more often (5·5 v. 2·7 visits per suckling interval) and spent longer at the feeder (45·4 v. 14·5 s) than pigs in litters which had access to the synthetic milk supplement. Average sow milk production was 15·4 and 15·3 kg/day between Days 11 and 14 and between Days 25 and 28 of lactation, respectively, and was unaffected by treatment. Treatment also had no significant effect on average suckling interval on Day 21 of lactation (51·7 min) or carcass composition of representative pigs from each litter killed at 28 days of age. Between Days 14 and 28, female pigs grew faster than male pigs (304·3±9·3 v. 292·0±9· 2 g/day). These results demonstrate that provision of supplemental milk to sucking pigs can improve preweaning growth rate and the response increased as lactation proceeded.

1975 ◽  
Vol 15 (74) ◽  
pp. 299 ◽  
Author(s):  
LR Corah ◽  
SA Jackson ◽  
AH Bishop

Hereford steers aged 10 to 12 months were fattened on a range of diets including two types of hay (pasture hay, oaten hay), three types of grain (oats, wheat, barley), four levels of oats (1/2, 1 and 1 1/2 per cent of liveweight per day and ad libitum) and non-protein nitrogen as a supplement to the oaten hay. In addition, two groups of steers were grazed on pasture and one of these was supplemented with oats at the rate of 13 per cent of liveweight per day. The experiment was conducted at the Pastoral Research Station in western Victoria. Steers fed pasture hay, either alone or with oats, gained at a faster rate than steers fed oaten hay, alone or with oats. As the level of grain in the rations increased, liveweight gains of the steers increased. The steers given the highest levels of grain (1 1/2 per cent liveweight and ad libitum) produced the most acceptable carcases as assessed by fat cover and the physical properties of the lean. As the level of grain was increased, the conversion of feed to liveweight gain was improved and the time required to reach the desired weight was reduced. Rations of barley, wheat or oats had similar effects on growth rate and carcass composition when they were fed at a rate equal to one per cent of the liveweight of the steers per day. The NPN supplement, biuret, had little effect when fed as a supplement to oaten hay. The feeding of grain as a supplement to pasture doubled the growth rate of the steers. The carcases of steers receiving oat grain on pasture were of comparable quality and produced in a similar time to those of the fastest gaining feedlot groups. The results do not provide any evidence which would justify the practice of confining such steers in a feedlot.


1996 ◽  
Vol 1996 ◽  
pp. 17-17
Author(s):  
J. C. Kerr ◽  
N. D. Cameron

Responses in sow traits at farrowing and during lactation and in pre-weaning piglet growth rate were determined in a population of Large White pigs, after seven generations of divergent selection for components of efficient lean growth rate. Information on the factors influencing preweaning piglet growth rate is required for a comprehensive evaluation of alternative selection strategies.There were four selection groups: daily food intake (DFI), lean food conversion (LFC), lean growth rate (LGA) on ad-libitum feeding and lean growth rate on scale feeding (LGS). There were 242 gilts in the study, with 20 gilts in the high, low and control lines of each selection group. Pigs in the ad-libitum selection groups were performance tested over a fixed weight range of 30 to 85 kg. Pigs fed on scale feeding were performance tested for a fixed time period of 84 days from 30 kg with food intake equal to 0.75 g/g of daily ad-libitum food intake. Matings were unsupervised and took place in outside paddocks.


1984 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 1063-1066
Author(s):  
A. G. CASTELL

Increasing the level of wheat screenings (95% green foxtail seeds) from 0 to 25% in diets fed ad libitum over the period from 34 to 89 kg liveweight resulted in an increased daily feed intake (P < 0.05), reduced (P < 0.05) feed efficiency and apparent digestibility, but produced no consistent effects on growth rate or carcass composition. Key words: Growing pigs, green foxtail, Setaria viridis, carcass, digestibility


1990 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. D. Cameron

ABSTRACTDuroc and halothane negative British Landrace boars and gilts were performance tested on ad libitum or restricted feeding regimes, with like-sexed non-littermate groups of one, two, three or four pigs per pen. There was a total of 320 pigs with 20 litter groups per breed with four boars and four gilts per litter group. Within each feeding regime, a boar and a gilt from each litter were tested on one of two diets in 1986, for each of the four combinations, and pigs were tested similarly for two other diets in 1987. Carcass composition was determined by half-carcass dissection of 160 pigs allocated between treatments.There was a breed × sex interaction for growth and performance traits for pigs fed ad libitum. Duroc boars were faster growing and more efficient than Landrace boars, but Duroc gilts grew more slowly and were less efficient than Landrace gilts. On restricted feeding, Duroc pigs were more efficient than Landrace pigs.At constant slaughter weight, Duroc pigs had less subcutaneous fat but more intermuscular fat. Although they had less separable fat in the carcass, Duroc pigs were not leaner as weights of bone, skin, head, feet and tail were heavier than for Landrace pigs.Group penning and group feeding of pigs may have enhanced competition effects resulting in positive genetic and phenotypic correlations between growth rate and backfat depths on both feeding regimes.The positive genetic correlation between growth rate and fat deposition resulted in a negative genetic correlation between growth rate and carcass lean content and a lower genetic correlation with lean tissue growth rate than in other studies.


2001 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Lebret ◽  
H. Juin ◽  
J. Noblet ◽  
M. Bonneau

AbstractThe aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a 30-day increase in age of pigs slaughtered at 110 kg body weight (BW) on carcass and m. longissimus dorsi (LD) and m. biceps femoris (BF) traits, and meat sensory quality. A total of 60 pigs from two genotypes: synthetic line ✕ (Large White ✕ Landrace) (SL) and Duroc ✕ (Large White ✕ Landrace) (D) were used, each genotype containing five groups of six littermates (three castrated males and three females). At the average BW of 30 kg, littermates of the same sex were allocated to three groups. Pigs of group AL were offered ad libitum a standard growing-finishing diet (13·6 MJ/kg digestible energy, 9·5 g/kg of lysine) from 30 up to 110 kg BW. The R1 pigs received the same diet at 0·75 of the ad libitum intake of their AL littermates. The R2 pigs were submitted to both energy and protein restrictions in order to get the same growth rate as the R1 pigs and the same body composition as the AL pigs. Results were similar in both genotypes. In agreement with the protocol, age at slaughter was increased by 30 days in R1 and R2, and AL and R2 pigs had comparable carcass composition. Compared with AL, average daily gain was decreased in R1 and R2 pigs, and food efficiency was decreased in R2, but remained unaffected in R1 pigs. Intramuscular fat (IMF) concentration was decreased in the R1 pigs, especially in BF (15·5 v. 19·7 mg/g), while it was increased in the LD of the R2 pigs, particularly in the D animals (24·2 v. 17·4 mg/g), compared with AL pigs. Meat quality parameters (rate and extent of pH fall, reflectance and drip loss) were similar in the three feeding regimens. The taste panel did not find any significant difference between feeding regimens for tenderness, juiciness, flavour, flour sensation after mastication and mouth coating of the meat, despite the differences reported in IMF concentration. This suggests that, for the genotypes used in this experiment, an increase of 30 days in the age at slaughter greatly influences the carcass and/or the muscle chemical composition, depending on the feeding strategy applied to reduce the growth rate but does not strongly modify the meat eating quality.


1999 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. D. Cameron ◽  
G. R. Nute ◽  
S. N. Brown-a2 ◽  
M. Enser ◽  
J. D. Wood

AbstractResponses in carcass composition and meat quality after seven generations of selection for components of lean growth rate were examined in a population of Large White pigs. There were four selection groups in the study, with divergent selection for lean growth rate on ad libitum (LGA) or restricted (LGS) feeding regimes, lean food conversion ratio (LFC) and daily food intake (DFI). In generations six and seven, two offspring from each of 10 sires, within each selection line, were to be allocated for half-carcass dissection and measurement of meat quality. There were 320 animals in the study, with 40 animals from each of the high and low selection lines and, within each selection line, two offspring per sire.Responses in carcass composition were similar in the three selection groups given food ad libitum, but rates of lean and fat growth rate differed between selection lines. Intramuscular fat content was reduced with selection for high LGA and high LFC but was increased with selection for low DFI (-1·7 and -3·2 v. 2·7 (s.e.d. 0·7) mg/g), which was unexpected given the higher carcass fat content of the low DFI line, relative to the high line (249 v. 190 (s.e.d. 7) g/kg). Muscle colour was darker, as measured by trained sensory panel assessment, in selection lines which reduced the rate of fat deposition to achieve a leaner carcass (high LFC and low DFI) but there was no response in muscle colour with selection for LGA (0·4 and 0·3 v. 0·0 (s.e.d. 0·1)). Responses in muscle shear force (5·3 v. 4·4 (s.e.d. 0·4) kg) and flavour liking (4·0 v. 4·3 (s.e.d. 0·12)) were limited to the LGA and LFC selection groups, respectively. There were no significant responses in muscle moisture content, muscle pH or myofibrillar fragmentation index, nor were there any responses in meat quality with selection on LGS. Therefore, decreasing the rate of fat deposition was associated with darker meat and increasing the rate of lean growth was associated with higher shear force. There were selection strategy specific responses in the fatty acid composition of intramuscular fat, which may have contributed to the responses in eating quality.In general, responses in meat quality were small, such that incorporation of meat quality traits in selection objectives, which are primarily focused on increasing the efficiency of lean meat production, may not be necessary. However, it would be pertinent to evaluate periodically genotypes of breeding companies for muscle quality traits.


1977 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 755 ◽  
Author(s):  
HL Davies

Twenty-one Friesian steers were grown to a final fasted liveweight of 469 kg. Seven of the steers grazed irrigated ryegrass-white clover pastures, seven steers were fed on a high energy ration ad libitum, and seven were given a ration of the same composition as the second group but at a restricted amount such that the growth rate was similar to that of the grazing steers. There were no significant differences in carcass weight between the three groups. The dressing percentage of the grain ad libitum group was 58%, the restricted grain group 57% and the pasture group 55%. The dressing percentage was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the pasture group. The grain ad libitum group had 51.5% more (P < 0.05) oaental fat than the pasture group, and the restricted group 28.9% more (P < 0.05) than the pasture group. In dissections of the 9th, 10th and 11th ribs the grain ad lib. group had 35.4% fat, the restricted grain group 32.8% and the pasture group 26.5%, the proportion of fat being significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the pasture group than in the grain ad lib. group. No significant differences were found in either tenderness, juiciness or flavour between the three groups.


1978 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. D. M. JONES ◽  
M. A. PRICE ◽  
R. T. BERG

A trial is reported comparing the growth and carcass characteristics of bulls of three breed-types: Hereford crossbred (HC), beef synthetic (SY) and dairy crossbred (DC). Sixteen bulls of each breed-type were grouped four to a pen and randomly allocated to one of two slaughter weights: M (about 500 kg) and H (about 600 kg). The bulls weighed approximately 200 kg at the start of the trial and were fed a high concentrate cereal diet ad libitum. Growth rate was slower and feed required per unit of gain greater for all breed-types in the H than in the M group. In all phases of growth, the DC bulls had the greatest rate of gain and the SY bulls the least. The carcass data indicated that the HC bulls had the fattest carcasses and DC bulls the leanest. SY were intermediate. The grades indicated that increasing liveweight from 500 kg to 600 kg resulted in a shift towards "fatter" grades in earlier fattening types and away from fatter grades in later fattening types. The concept of target slaughter weights and ranges for various biological types of cattle is discussed.


1996 ◽  
Vol 1996 ◽  
pp. 17-17
Author(s):  
J. C. Kerr ◽  
N. D. Cameron

Responses in sow traits at farrowing and during lactation and in pre-weaning piglet growth rate were determined in a population of Large White pigs, after seven generations of divergent selection for components of efficient lean growth rate. Information on the factors influencing preweaning piglet growth rate is required for a comprehensive evaluation of alternative selection strategies.There were four selection groups: daily food intake (DFI), lean food conversion (LFC), lean growth rate (LGA) on ad-libitum feeding and lean growth rate on scale feeding (LGS). There were 242 gilts in the study, with 20 gilts in the high, low and control lines of each selection group. Pigs in the ad-libitum selection groups were performance tested over a fixed weight range of 30 to 85 kg. Pigs fed on scale feeding were performance tested for a fixed time period of 84 days from 30 kg with food intake equal to 0.75 g/g of daily ad-libitum food intake. Matings were unsupervised and took place in outside paddocks.


1994 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Tegegne ◽  
P. O. Osuji ◽  
A. Lahlou-Kassi ◽  
E. Mukasa-Mugerwa

AbstractForty-four Borana × Friesian F1 crossbred calves born to Borana (Bos indicus) cows were randomly assigned to either suck their dams hvice daily or bucket-feeding with 1341 milk over a 57-day pre-weaning period. Their dams were also allocated either to a supplement group with grass hayad libitumand 5 kg per head per day of a concentrate ration or to an unsupplemented group withad libitumgrass hay only. Calves were fed in individual boxes in a calf house. The mean birth weight of calves was 24·8 (s.e. 1·8) kg. Suckled calves were heavier (P < 0·01) at weaning (47·7 (s.e. 1·9) v.37·1 (s.e. 1·8) kg) and had faster pre-weaning growth rate (411 (s.e. 30)v.215 (s.e. 29) g/day) than bucket-fed calves. Calves which sucked supplemented cows were heavier (P < 0·001) at weaning (51·2 (s.e. 2·6)v. 44·2 (s.e. 2·6) kg), had faster (P < 0·01) pre-weaning growth rate (477 (s.e. 41)v.346 (s.e. 41) glday) and higher (P<0·01) daily milk intake (2·6 (s.e. 0·2)v.1·6 (s.e. 0·2) I/day) than those which sucked unsupplemented cows. Mean concentrate intake was 302 (s.e. 30) g/day for bucket-fed calves and 341 (s.e. 33) and 408 (s.e. 33) g/day for calves which sucked supplemented and unsupplemented cows. Cow milk production was higher (P < 0·01) in suckled than in milked cows (3·3 (s.e. 0·2)v.1·0 (s.e. 0·2) I/day) and in supplemented than unsupplemented cows (3·9 (s.e. 0·2)v.2·7 (s.e. 0·2) I/day). Concentrations of milk protein, fat and total solids averaged 39 (s.e. 15), 49 (s.e. 16) and 143 (s.e. 21) g/kg, respectively and were not significantly influenced by either concentrate supplementation or suckling. Restricted suckling and early weaning coupled with appropriate calf and cow feeding regimes could be one of the alternatives for calf rearing under smallholder and small scale peri-urban dairy production systems. However, further studies are warranted to evaluate the effects of such a strategy on both calf and cow performances under these production systems.


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