Performance and carcase characteristics of pigs grown along three growth curves to bacon weight

Abstract

Using low, medium, and high feeding levels, three growth patterns were designed to produce pigs of 160 lb liveweight at about the same age. Daily liveweight gains closely followed level of feeding. Pigs on the low feeding level required more feed per pound of liveweight gain than those fed at higher levels. The overall feed efficiency of pigs fed a high-low pattern was less than that of pigs fed medium-medium or low-high patterns. Although the low-high pigs had significantly more (P<0.05) fat than pigs on the other treatments, mean carcase characteristics on all treatments generally fulfilled the requirements of a local premium grade. There were no treatment effects on the weights of shoulders, middles, and hams, nor was there any evidence that treatments had affected the distribution of muscle and fat within the side. When carcases were adjusted for weight of bone plus muscle in the side, there were no treatment effects on weights of tissues nor on the distribution of bone plus muscle in the shoulder, middle, and ham. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to feeding standards and theories on pig growth and development.