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Growth performance, carcass composition and leg weakness in pigs exposed to different levels of physical activity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. S. Petersen ,
N. Oksbjerg ,
B. Jørgensen  and
M. T. Sørensen
J. S. Petersen
Affiliation:
Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
N. Oksbjerg
Affiliation:
Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
B. Jørgensen
Affiliation:
Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
M. T. Sørensen
Affiliation:
Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
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Abstract

In order to evaluate the effect of exercise training and spontaneous physical activity on growth performance, carcass composition, and locomotory ability 48 female and 48 entire male pigs were subjected to one of three treatments: individual housing in pens of 2-5 m2 (confined; C), individual housing and treadmill training for 15 minlday at a speed of 4 km/h, 5 days/week for a period of 70 days (trained; T) and group-housing equal to 0·9 m2 per animal (free; F). Pigs in treatment C and T did not differ with regard to daily gain, food intake, kg food per kg gain and carcass lean content. Training did, however, induce significant cardiac hypertrophy (by a proportion of 0·06). In treatment F (i.e. large pens), daily gain was 135 g lower than in treatment C. Dissection of the carcasses showed that treatment F increased the weight of m. psoas major (by 30 g) and the total carcass bone mass (by 130 g) when compared with treatment C. Proportions of carcass lean and intramuscular fat were unaffected by treatment F. Likewise, leg weakness and osteochondrosis did not differ between treatments, whereas the locomotory ability was positively affected by rearing in large pens (treatment F) but not by treadmill training (treatment T). Thus, physical activity in large pens induced various adaptations throughout the body.

Keywords

carcass compositiongrowthleg weaknessphysical activitypigs
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 66 , Issue 3 , June 1998 , pp. 725 - 732
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1998

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