FCR in the grower-finisher period
L-BtW M-BtW H-BtW
kg/kg
0.0 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0
Gilts Barrows
J. Bérard1;2; M. Kreuzer2; G. Bee1
1 Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux, Research Station ALP, 1725 Posieux, Switzerland
2 ETH Zurich, Department of Agricultural and Food Science, Zürich, Switzerland joel.berard@alp.admin.ch
This study is partly financed by the State Secretariat for Education and Research SER (COST C05,0126).
Introduction: It is a general believe that low birth weight (BtW) pigs grow slower, have fatter carcasses and the pork quality tends to be impaired compared to their high BtW siblings. Conversely, Berard et al. (2008) reported only small effects of BtW on these traits when using Swiss Large White barrows originating either from large or small litters. However, results of recent studies suggested that the impact of BtW might differ among gender.
Aim: Compare the BtW effect from barrows and gilts originating from large litters on performance and quality traits.
Conclusions: During the lactation and post-weaning period, growth performance between L and H pigs differed markedly.
During the grower-finisher period, M barrows grew faster and M barrows as well as H gilts were more feed efficient.
L gilts deposited more omental fat compared to M and H gilts whereas no differences were evident in barrows.
Effect of birth weight and gender on growth performance and carcass characteristics of pigs originating from large litters
Materials and Methods 58 Swiss Large White pigs
originating from 10 litters > 16 piglets/litter
Three BtW groups: n: 19 Low (L) < 1.2 kg n: 20 High (H) > 1.6 kg n: 19 Medium (M) ≈1.4 kg From both genders n: 28 gilts
n: 30 barrows Body weight (BW) determined weekly and total feed intake
Hot carcass weight assessed at slaughter Carcass characteristics determined 24 h post-mortem
(Berard et al., 2008) Data analyzed MIXED procedure of SAS
Statistical model fixed effects: BtW, gender, 2-way interactions random effect: litter
Effect of birth weight and gender on carcass characteristic
1 Birth weightL-BtW M-BtW H-BtW
kg
0.0 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0
Gilts Barrows BtW p < 0.01
gender p = 0.18 BtW x gender p = 0.26
1 Results are presented as least square means and pooled SEM
2L = low BtW piglets, M = median BtW piglets, and H = high BtW piglets
3G = gilt and B = barrow
4 Probability values for the effects of BtW, gender, and their interactions
5Lean meat percentage = sum of denuded shoulder, back, and ham weight as percentage of cold carcass weight; subcutaneous fat = sum of external fat from the shoulder, back, and ham expressed as percentage of cold carcass weight; omental fat = weight of the omental fat expressed as percentage of cold carcass weight.
ADG in the grower-finisher period
L-BtW M-BtW H-BtW
kg/d
0.00 0.85 0.90 0.95 1.00 1.05 1.10 1.15
Gilts Barrows BtW p < 0.01
gender p = 0.19 BtW x gender p = 0.01
BtW p = 0.07 gender p = 0.02 BtW x gender p = 0.04
ADG in the post-weaning period
L-BtW M-BtW H-BtW
kg/d
0.00 0.50 0.52 0.54 0.56 0.58 0.60 0.62
Gilts Barrows BtW p = 0.05
gender p = 0.11 BtW x gender p = 0.77
Berard, J., M. Kreuzer, and G. Bee. 2008. Effect of litter size and birth weight on growth, carcass and pork quality, and their relationship to postmortem proteolysis. J. Anim. Sci. 86:2357-2368.
a a
a
a a b
a ab c bc
bc
bc
Average daily gain in the post-weaning period
Average daily gain in the grower-finisher period
Feed conversion ratio in the grower-finisher period
Birth weight2 Gender3 P-value4
Trait5 L M H G B SEM BtW Gender BtW x gender
Hot carcass weight, kg 90.0 90.6 90.7 90.6 90.3 0.67 0.46 0.45 0.96 Carcass yield, % 79.4 79.6 80.0 80.0 79.4 0.36 0.31 0.08 0.06 Lean meat, % 54.9 55.5 55.9 56.2 54.6 0.59 0.19 < 0.01 0.27
Belly, % 19.1 18.9 18.9 19.9 19.0 0.40 0.83 0.71 0.31
Subcutaneous fat, % 14.6 14.3 13.8 13.5 15.0 0.39 0.08 < 0.01 0.10 Omental fat, % 1.8b 1.4a 1.3a 1.5 1.5 0.14 < 0.01 0.76 0.02