EFFECTS OF ENFORCED EXERCISE ON GROWING PIGS: FEED INTAKE, RATE OF GAIN, FEED CONVERSION, DISSECTED CARCASS COMPOSITION, AND MUSCLE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION

1974 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. MURRAY ◽  
J. P. BOWLAND ◽  
R. T. BERG ◽  
B. A. YOUNG

The effects of enforced exercise on performance and carcass composition of growing pigs were studied on eight crossbred gilts. Four animals were exercised periodically on a treadmill from a liveweight of 12 to 60 kg; the remaining four animals acted as a control group. Pigs were exercised three afternoons a week for a period of 60 min at a speed of 2 km/h. Animals were slaughtered at a liveweight of 60 kg and the left side of each carcass dissected into individual muscles, fat and bone. Proximate analyses were conducted on two selected muscles. There were no significant differences between the groups overall (0 to 9 wk) in feed intake, weight gain or efficiency of feed conversion. From 7 to 9 wk the exercised group grew at a significantly faster rate and consumed significantly less feed per kg liveweight than the control group. The enhanced rate of gain of the exercised group during this period occurred even though feed intakes of the two groups were similar. It is suggested that this improved gain may have been due to a compensatory growth effect associated with a relative decrease in the severity of the exercise treatment as the pigs increased in size. Exercise treatment had no significant effects on carcass weight or on the weight of the following organs: blood, heart, liver, kidneys, spleen, alimentary tract tissue and alimentary tract fat. Similarly, enforced exercise had no significant effects on either the proportion of carcass muscle, fat and bone or on muscle distribution. Chemical analysis of M. psoas major from exercised animals showed a significantly higher protein and lower moisture content, respectively, than those from control animals. Composition of M. biceps brachii in exercised and control animals was similar.

2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald E. Newman ◽  
Jeffery A. Downing ◽  
Peter C. Thomson ◽  
Cherie L. Collins ◽  
David J. Henman ◽  
...  

Three studies investigated the effect of feeding strategy on production performance and endocrine status of growing pigs. For Experiment 1, 20 entire male pigs (70.0 ± 4.6 kg) were allocated randomly to individual pens in one of four climate-controlled rooms. Pigs were fed for 23 days either ad libitum or entrained to feed bi-phasically for two 90-min periods. For Experiment 2, 20 entire male pigs (41.2 ± 3.5 kg) were housed as per Experiment 1. Pigs were fed for 49 days either ad libitum or fed bi-phasically for two 60-min periods. For Experiment 3, 100 female pigs (66.1 ± 3.5 kg) were randomly allocated to individual pens within a commercial piggery and fed for 42 days either ad libitum or bi-phasically for two 60-min periods. Ear vein catheters were inserted into 10 pigs from each group and hourly blood samples were collected for 24 h in Experiments 1 and 2 and for 11 h in Experiment 3. Plasma insulin, non-esterified fatty acid and glucose concentrations were determined in Experiments 1 and 2, and glucose and insulin concentrations in Experiment 3. Feed intake and performance were recorded in all experiments and carcass composition was assessed by computed tomography for Experiment 2. There were no differences in final liveweight between the two treatment groups for all experiments. Pigs fed for two 90-min periods (Experiment 1) showed no difference in feed intake when compared with feeding ad libitum. Pigs in Experiment 2 fed for two 60-min intervals consumed 2.49 kg/pig.day compared with those fed ad libitum that consumed 2.68 kg/day (P = 0.057). In Experiment 3, pigs fed twice daily consumed 2.82 kg/pig.day compared with 2.91 kg/pig.day in ad libitum-fed pigs (P = 0.051). Bi-phasic fed pigs in Experiment 2 had improved (P < 0.05) feed conversion efficiency compared with pigs fed ad libitum. For all experiments, there was no difference in plasma glucose concentrations between the two treatments. In all three experiments, the circulating insulin concentrations for pigs fed ad libitum remained at a constant level throughout the sampling period. However, plasma insulin concentrations for the bi-phasic fed pigs significantly increased ~1 h after both feeding periods during all three experiments. Insulin secretion of pigs fed for two 90-min periods differed from that of pigs fed for two 60-min periods. Plasma insulin concentration increased five-fold following feeding for 60 min, compared with that in pigs fed for 90 min, which increased two-fold. Bi-phasic-fed pigs from Experiment 2 had reduced (P < 0.05) total carcass fat and significantly increased muscle when compared with pigs fed ad libitum. The data showed that feeding pigs at two succinct periods aligned insulin secretion to the time of feeding. Pigs fed for 60 min, unlike those fed for 90-min intervals, had reduced feed intake in comparison to those fed ad libitum. This may suggest that the duration of the feeding bout is important for this response and this may in turn influence both energy balance and the way energy is partitioned.


2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 1947 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly Mazutti ◽  
Leandro Batista Costa ◽  
Lígia Valéria Nascimento ◽  
Tobias Fernandes Filho ◽  
Breno Castello Branco Beirão ◽  
...  

For the last several decades, antimicrobial compounds have been used as feed additives to promote piglet growth at weaning, through the prevention of subclinical and clinical disease. However, few studies have assessed the influence of these antibiotics on the immune response of nursery pigs, as well as the relation between performance, health, and immunity of animals that receive feed additives. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of colistin and tylosin when used as feed additives on the performance, incidence of diarrhea, and immune response of nursery pigs. In this study, 72 weaned pigs (average age, 28 days) were allotted into one of three treatment groups: a control group (feed with no antibiotics), tylosin group (feed containing 22 ppm tylosin), and colistin group (feed containing 20 ppm colistin). Weekly, during a five week period, the average daily feed intake, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio of the pigs were evaluated. Stools were scored daily, in accordance with a fecal texture scale. Blood samples were collected on the day of housing (d0) and on d7, d21, d28, and d35 for immune cell phenotyping. The results of this study showed that piglets in both the colistin and tylosin groups exhibited a significantly higher average daily feed intake, resulting in a higher body weight at the end of the experimental period (d35) when compared with piglets from the control group. Colistin and tylosin also significantly reduced the incidence of diarrhea. Colistin and tylosin modulated the piglets’ immune responses, particularly on d28, by changing the percentage of circulating B lymphocytes, CD4+CD8+ T cells, and the CD4:CD8 ratio.


Author(s):  
Tsukasa Yoshidomi ◽  
Kazuaki Tanaka ◽  
Tatsuya Takizawa ◽  
Satoshi Nikaido ◽  
Tetsuya Ito ◽  
...  

Copy number variation (CNV) of the AMY gene in humans has been enthusiastically studied for its association with starch digestibility and obesity. The alpha-amylase (AMY) is a major starch digestive enzyme in mammals. This study aimed to determine the association between CNV of the porcine pancreatic amylase (AMY2B) gene and feed efficiency. Improvement of feed efficiency in growing pigs is of great economic interest. We assayed the copy number of AMY2B by using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) in a Large White pig population. We identified three genotypes for AMY2B CNVs, namely I/I (homozygotes of haplotype I; a chromosome with one copy of AMY2B), I/II (heterozygotes of haplotype I and II; a chromosome with two copies) and II/II (homozygotes of haplotype II). We tested the genotypes of the parental generation consisting of six males, 21 females and 265 offspring piglets to validate the AMY2B CNV genotyping. With very few mistyping exceptions, copy numbers of AMY2B were transmitted to piglets in segregation ratios following Mendelian inheritance. Finally, we performed an association analysis between the CNV of the AMY2B gene and feed efficiency traits in 207 uncastrated male pigs. The generalised linear model analysis showed the significant effects of AMY2B CNV genotype on average daily feed intake, total feed intake and feed conversion ratio during growth from 30 kg to 100 kg body weight. However, it was not associated with average daily gain, backfat thickness and loin eye muscle area. Individuals with the genotype I/I had about 76.6 ± 27.1 g lower average daily feed intake, 5.35 ± 1.90 kg lower total feed intake and 0.089 8 ± 0.026 5 lower feed conversion ratio than individuals with I/II and II/II genotypes. Thus, AMY2B CNV has the potential to be an effective genetic marker that could reduce feed costs for pig farming.  


2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 9-15
Author(s):  
A. A. Famakinwa ◽  
O. A. Adebiyi ◽  
T. O. Bankole ◽  
P. O. Idahosa

This study was carried out to determine the effect of object combination as environmental enrichment on behaviour of growing pigs. Thirty-six (36) crossbreed (Large White X Landrace) growing pigs with average weight of 34-36Kg were allotted randomly into four treatments, replicated three times in a completely randomized design. The four treatments were; Control (without enrichment), PRope (2 pieces of polyester rope), treatment SWood (2 pieces of soft wood) and treatment PRope+SWood (1 piece of soft wood and 1 piece of polyester rope). Behavioural observations were monitored by CCTV and recordings were made for 6 hours/day and 3days/week. At the end of the experiment, data collected includes average feed intake and average weight gain while feed conversion ratio was calculated. Likewise, behavioural observations; enrichment use, general activities, pen manipulation and pen-mate manipulation were observed. Behavioural data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) while performance data were analysed using one-way ANOVA. Performance data were significantly influenced (P<0.05) by enrichments for all the parameters measured. PRope+SWood had the highest value for the final weight (50.63kg), average weight gain (15.95kg) and average feed intake (56.61kg) while PRope had the highest FCR 4.18). Penmate manipulation (10.48%), pen manipulation (19.02%) and general activities (14.62%) were lower and significantly better for PRope+SWood compared to PRope and SWood and the highest interaction with enrichment objects was observed in the PRope+SWood (55.88%). It can be concluded that the use of combination of enrichment objects enhanced the performance and behaviour of pigs.


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

An experiment was carried out to determine which feeding method maximised feed intake of growing pigs and to record growth rates, feed conversion efficiency and backfat measurements. There is an increasing tendency for dry fed pigs to be fed ad libitum or to appetite in order to increase growth rates and throughput of building.Limited information is available on how the modern genetically improved pig will respond to high levels of feeding and whether ad libitum feeding will encourage higher feed intake than feeding to appetite either wet or dry.


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.


2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (8) ◽  
pp. 1731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milan Ž. Baltić ◽  
Marija Dokmanović Starčević ◽  
Meho Bašić ◽  
Amir Zenunović ◽  
Jelena Ivanović ◽  
...  

The aim of the present study was to assess effects of selenium (Se)-yeast diet supplementation on performance and carcass composition in ducks. The study was performed on 240 1-day old ducklings of the same origin (Cherry Valley hybrid), during a 49-day period, which were fed diets supplemented with the following four different levels of Se yeast (ALKOSEL® R397): groups with Se at 0 mg/kg of the diet as-fed, 0.2 mg/kg, 0.4 mg/kg and 0.6 mg/kg. Growth performance (bodyweight, daily weight gain, daily feed intake, feed-conversion ratio) and carcass characteristics (hot and cold carcass weight, chilling losses, dressing percentage, carcass cut yields, and percentage of tissues in breast and thighs with drumsticks) of the ducks were determined. Animals fed high-Se diets (0.4 mg/kg) had higher (P &lt; 0.05) final bodyweight and daily weight gain (from 15 to 49 days) compared with those fed diets with inadequate (0 mg/kg) or with supranutritional (0.6 mg/kg) Se levels. Ducks fed only with basal diet showed a higher (P &lt; 0.05) feed-conversion ratio (from 15 to 49 days) compared with those supplemented with Se at 0.4 mg/kg and 0.6 mg/kg. Dressing percentage was higher (P &lt; 0.01) in the control group (69.50%) than in the group with Se added at 0.6 mg/kg (66.85%). The weights of basic cuts from the duck carcasses did not significantly differ among compared groups. Moreover, the percentage of skin with subcutaneous fat in breast and thighs with drumsticks increased in Se-supplemented groups compared with the control group, while the opposite was determined with the percentage of muscle. It was concluded that a diet containing 0.4 mg of added Se per kilogram produced the greatest growth-performance results in ducks.


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


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