J. Bérard1, M. Kreuzer2and G. Bee1
1Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux, Research Station ALP, 1725 Posieux, Switzerland
2ETH Zurich, Institute of Animal Science, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
1) GONDRET, F., LEFAUCHEUR, L., LOUVEAU, I., LEBRET, B., PICHODO, X., & LE COZLER, Y. (2005) Livest. Prod. Sci., 93: 137-146.
2) REHFELDT, C. & KUHN, G. (2006) J. Anim. Sci., 84: E113-E123.
This study is partly financed by the State Secretariat for Education and Research SER (COST C05,0126).
Introduction: There is some evidence that, within litter, low birth weight pigs not only grow slower and have fatter carcasses but also meat quality traits like drip loss or shear force are impaired compared to their high birth weight siblings (1,2). Because the variability of BtW is greater in large compared to small litters, the aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that effects of BtW on growth performance, carcass characteristic, and meat quality are different when pigs originate from small or large litters.
Growth performance
Carcass characteristic
Meat quality
Conclusions: The present results confirm the marked effect of BtW on growth performance. However, the hypothesised impact on carcass characteristics and meat quality traits could not be demonstrated. Although the litter size affected average BtW of the lightest- and the medium-BtW barrows, its impact on growth performance, carcass, and meat quality was minor.
Birth weight
0.50 0.90 1.30 1.70 2.10 2.50
L-BtW M-BtW H-BtW
Kg
Large litter size Small litter size
Factor P-value
LS 0.02
BtW <0.01 BtW * LS 0.07
Age at slaughter
130 140 150 160 170 180
L-BtW M-BtW H-BtW
d
Large litter size Small litter size
Factor P-value
LS 0.95
BtW <0.01 BtW * LS 0.85 Average daily weight gain
0.50 0.60 0.70 0.80 0.90 1.00
L-BtW M-BtW H-BtW
kg/d
Large litter size Small litter size
Factor P-value
LS 0.47
BtW <0.01 BtW * LS 0.62
Average daily feed intake
1.50 1.70 1.90 2.10 2.30 2.50 2.70
L-BtW M-BtW H-BtW
kg/d
Large litter size Small litter size
Factor P-value
LS 0.49
BtW 0.02
BtW * LS 0.23
Carcass yield
70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84
L-BtW M-BtW H-BtW
%
Large litter size Small litter size
Factor P-value
LS 0.57
BtW <0.01 BtW * LS 0.52 Percentage lean m eat
35 40 45 50 55 60
L-BtW M-BtW H-BtW
%
Large litter size Small litter size
Factor P-value
LS 0.15
BtW 0.65
BtW * LS 0.77
Drip loss after 48h in the LM
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
L-BtW M -BtW H-BtW
%
Large litter size Small litter size
Factor P-value
LS 0.64
BtW 0.55
BtW * LS 0.28 Redness (a*) of the LM
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0
L-BtW M -BtW H-BtW
a* value
Large litter size Small litter size
Factor P-value
LS 0.43
BtW 0.02
BtW * LS 0.74 Yellowness (b*) of the ST
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5
L-BtW M-BtW H-BtW
b* value
Large litter size Small litter size
Factor P-value
LS 0.03
BtW 0.13
BtW * LS 0.21
Feed convertion ratio
2.00 2.20 2.40 2.60 2.80 3.00
L-BtW M-BtW H-BtW
Kg /Kg
Large litter size Small litter size
Factor P-value
LS 0.81
BtW <0.01 BtW * LS 0.79
Liver w eight
1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0
L-BtW M-BtW H-BtW
Kg
Large litter size Small itter size
Factor P-value
LS 0.65
BtW 0.01
BtW * LS 0.71
Effect of litter size and birth weight on growth performance, carcass
characteristics, and meat quality in pigs
Material and Methods Litter size (LS)
20 litters from multiparous Swiss Large White sows
• Large litter size : 10 litters with ≥than 14 piglets born/litter
• Small litter size : 10 litters with ≤than 10 piglets born/litter Birth weight (BtW)
From within small and large litter, 60 barrows were selected with:
• Lightest birth weight (L-BtW)
• Nearest to the average birth weight (M-BtW)
• Heaviest birth weight (H-BtW)
Growth performance
• Body weight each week
• Feed intake daily Carcass characteristic
• Hot carcass weight
• Carcass yield
• Percentage lean meat
• Percentage back fat
• Organ weight Meat quality traits
Determined in the longissimus (LM) and in the light portion of the semitendinosus (ST) muscle
• Colour (L*,a*,b*-values)
• Drip loss (after 48h)
