Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-08T08:23:11.017Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The plane of nutrition and compensatory growth in pigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

D. W. Robinson
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Veterinary Field Station, Neston, Cheshire
Get access

Extract

1. An experiment was carried out with forty individually-fed Large White × Wessex pigs to examine the growth rates of females (gilts) and castrated males after varying periods of time on a restricted plane of nutrition.

2. Compensatory growth was made by pigs in all treatments when some restriction in the plane of nutrition had been previously imposed.

3. The immediate growth response after the restriction ceased was directly related to the duration of the period of restriction.

4. In pigs on a restricted scale of feeding to 80 lb. live-weight, no compensatory growth was observed until a later stage in growth, whereas pigs on a restricted scale for a much longer period to 160 lb. live-weight showed immediate and significant compensatory growth.

5. In the periods immediately after the food restriction was lifted, gilts responded more than castrated males on all treatments.

6. The effect on the overall growth rate from 45 to 200 lb. live-weight became progressively worse as the period of restriction was prolonged and in no case did the compensatory growth fully compensate for the setback suffered during restriction.

7. There were no significant differences in overall food conversion efficiency and it appears that pigs with an even rate of gain and an interrupted growth rate may be equally efficient.

8. There were no significant differences in carcass length or dressing-out percentage although a moderate degree of restriction up to 120 lb. live-weight improved grading results, these being related, to non-significant improvements i n food conversion and therefore possibly to a lower carcass fat content.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1964

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bohmann, V. R., 1955. Compensatory growth of beef cattle. The effect of hay maturity. J. anim. Sci., 14: 249.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bowland, J. P. & Berg, R. T., 1959. Influence of strain and sex on the relationship of protein to energy in the rations of growing and finishing bacon pigs. Canad. J. Anim. Sci., 39: 102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bowland, J. P., 1962. Electronic computation of growing and finishing rations for pigs to meet N.R.C. (1959) nutrient requirements with and without a margin of safety. Canad. J. Anim. Sci., 42: 191.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brody, S., 1945. Bioenergetics and Growth. Reinhold, New York.Google Scholar
Brugman, H. H., 1950. The effect of the plane of nutrition on the carcase quality of a line of swine based on a Chester White and Danish Landrace cross. J. Anim. Sci., 9: 602.Google Scholar
Ellis, N. R. & Zeller, J. H., 1934. Effects of quantity and kinds of feeds on economy of gains and body composition of hogs. Tech. Bull. U.S. Dep. Agric., no. 413.Google Scholar
Gregory, K. E. & Dickerson, G. E., 1952. Influence of heterosis and plane of nutrition on rate of gains, digestion and carcase composition of pigs. Res. Bull. Mo. Agric. Exp. Sta., no. 493.Google Scholar
Hammond, J., 1932. Growth and the development of mutton qualities in the sheep. Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Hammond, J., 1944. Physiological factors affecting birth weight. Proc. Nutr. Soc., 2: 8.Google Scholar
Hogan, A. G., 1929. Retarded growth and mature size of beef steers. Res. Bull. Mo. Agric. Exp. Sta., no. 123.Google Scholar
Joubert, D. M., 1954. Influence of winter nutritional depressions on growth reproduction and production of cattle. J. agric. Sci., 44: 63.Google Scholar
Kertesz, F. & Csir, L., 1962. (Compensatory capacity in meat production of Hungarian Yorkshire pigs given different amounts of protein feeds of high biological value. (In Hungarian)). Allattenyeszte's, 11: 123 (See Nutr. Abstr. Rev. 33: Abstr. No. 1594(1963)).Google Scholar
Lucas, I. A. M. & Calder, A. F. C., 1956. The response of different types of pigs to varying levels of feeding from weaning to bacon weight, with particular reference to carcase quality. J. agric. Sci., 47: 287.Google Scholar
Lucas, I. A. M., McDonald, I. & Calder, A. F. C., 1960. Some further observations on the effects of varying the plane of feeding for pigs between weaning and bacon weight. J. agric. Sci., 54: 81.Google Scholar
Lucas, I. A. M., Livingstone, R. M. & McDonald, I., 1961. The effects of growth checks on the performance and carcase quality of pigs. Proc. 8th Int. Congr. Anim. Husb. Hamburg p. 209.Google Scholar
Lucas, I. A. M., Livingstone, R. M. & McDonald, I., 1962. Further observations on the effects of growth checks in pigs of 50 lb. live-weight and over. Anim. Prod., 4: 195.Google Scholar
McMeekan, C. P., 1940. Growth and development in the pig with special reference to carcase quality characteristics. Part III—Effect of the plane of nutrition on the form and composition of the bacon pig. J. agric. Sci., 30: 511.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Osbourne, D. F. & Wilson, P. N., 1960. Effects of different patterns of allocation of a restricted quantity of food upon the growth and development of cockerels. J. agric. (Ed. Hammond, J.)Sci., 54: 278.Google Scholar
Pomeroy, R. W., 1955. Live-weight growth. In Progress in the physiology offarm animals. (Ed. Hammond, J.) Butterworths, London.Google Scholar
Prescott, J. H. D., 1963. The influence of sex and certain steroids on growth and carcase composition in pigs. Thesis, University of Nottingham School of Agriculture.Google Scholar
Quimby, F. H., 1948. Food and water economy of the young rat during chronic starvation and recovery. J. Nutr., 36: 177.Google Scholar
Ragsdale, A. C., 1934. Estimating live weights of cattle. Res. Bull. Mo. Agric. Exp. Sta., no. 354.Google Scholar
Robinson, D. W., Morgan, J. T. & Lewis, D., 1964. Protein and energy nutrition of the bacon pig. 1. The effect of varying protein and energy levels in the diets of ‘growing’ pigs. J. agric. Sci. (in press).Google Scholar
Robinson, D. W. & Lewis, D., 1962. The digestible energy value of cereals to pigs. Proc. Nutr. Soc., 21: xxvi.Google Scholar
Waters, H. J., 1908. Proc. Soc. Prom, agric. Sci., New York. 29th Annual Meeting p. 71: (See Pomeroy, 1955).Google Scholar
Wilson, P. N., 1954. Growth analysis of the domestic fowl. II. Effect of plane of nutrition on carcase composition. J. agric. Sci., 44: 67.Google Scholar
Winchester, C. F. & Howe, P. E., 1955. Relative effects of continuous and interrupted growth on beef steers. Tech. Bull. U.S. Dep. Agric, no. 1108.Google Scholar
Winters, L. M., Sierk, C. F. & Cummings, J. N. 1949. The effect of plane of nutrition on the economy of production and carcase quality of swine. J. Anim. Sci., 8: 132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar