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Reproductive performance, growth and carcass characteristics of gilts mated at puberty, restricted in food intake during gestation and slaughtered post-partum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. I. Elliot ,
G. A. Lodge ,
A. Fortin  and
Elizabeth Larmond
J. I. Elliot
Affiliation:
Animal Research Institute, Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C6, Canada‡
G. A. Lodge
Affiliation:
Animal Research Institute, Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C6, Canada‡
A. Fortin
Affiliation:
Animal Research Institute, Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C6, Canada‡
Elizabeth Larmond
Affiliation:
Food Research Institute, Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C6, Canada§
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Abstract

Seventy-four Yorkshire gilts, mated at puberty, were used in three experiments to study the effect of severe food restriction, 0·45 kg/day for either the last 15 or 30 days of gestation, on reproductive performance, body-weight change, and carcass quality and meat acceptability. The objective of the experiments was to assess the feasibility of limiting weight gain during gestation to produce an acceptable carcass post-partum, within the market weight range of 55 to 90 kg. Age and weight at puberty averaged 170·3 days and 99·1 kg respectively. Litter size averaged 9·3 liveborn piglets at an average weight of 1·13 kg. The necessary reduction in weight gain during gestation to bring final carcass weight within the acceptable range was associated with a significant reduction in mean individual birth weight to below 1·0 kg. Sensory evaluation of loin and ham joints from mated and unmated gilts of market weight revealed no differences in juiciness or flavour but both loin and ham joints from maiden gilts were significantly more tender than those from gilts that had farrowed and from unmated controls of the same age as those that had farrowed

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 34 , Issue 1 , February 1982 , pp. 17 - 29
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1982

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