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Apr 17, 2024Keywords:
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Effect of feeding regimes on growth and carcass characteristics of grower-finisher pigs
Abstract
Forty-two (42) Large White grower pigs with an average liveweight of 28.6±0.01 kg were allocated to three dietary treatments with 14 pigs per treatment in a completely randomised design. Each treatment was replicated 14 times with a pig per replicate. The study was conducted to establish appropriate restricted-fed scale on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of growerfinishers pigs. The three treatments received a standard diet (CP 15.87%) fed at different levels designated as GF5 (diet offered at a quantity equivalent to 5% of liveweight), GF6 (diet offered at a quantity equivalent to 6% of liveweight) and GF7 (diet offered at a quantity equivalent to 7% of liveweight). Feeding levels were directly proportional to the growth parameters studied. Treatment had significant (p<0.05) effect on final body weight, daily weight gain, daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio and economy of gain. Pigs fed the GF7 levels had the highest values for total weight gain, daily weight, total and daily feed intake, followed by pigs fed GF6 and then GF5 and they attained market weight earlier than the rest. The carcass measurements evaluated were found to be similar for all dietary treatments (p>0.05) except for loin eye area and the back-fat thickness which increased as the feeding level increased. Pigs can be fed up to 7% of their body weight without any adverse effect on growth performance and carcass characteristics although back fat thickness may be compromised.
