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Effect of protein nutrition on bone strength and incidence of osteochondrosis in gilts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

J. Slevin ,
J. Wiseman ,
M. Parry  and
R.M. Walker
J. Slevin
Affiliation:
School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE 12 5RD, UK
J. Wiseman
Affiliation:
School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE 12 5RD, UK
M. Parry
Affiliation:
Department of Orthopaedic and Accident Surgery, University Hospital, Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
R.M. Walker
Affiliation:
School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE 12 5RD, UK
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Extract

Leg-weakness in female breeding pigs has serious implications both in terms of economics and welfare, accounting for up to 0.2 of first litter gilt cullings at an estimated cost to the UK pig industry of up to £3.0 million (Douglas, 1992), with the principal predisposing cause in the growing pig being osteochondrosis. It has been reported that selection for increased lean tissue growth rate and increased growth rate accompanied by ad libitum feeding of diets with high energy and nutrient concentration may increase the incidence of osteochondrosis and leg- weakness (Jorgensen and Sorensen, 1998), although evidence is largely equivocal. The effect of protein level in the diet is uncertain. Although both high and low levels of dietary protein lead to bone growth failure and fracture in human studies ( Reid and New, 1997), protein level has not been found to affect osteochondrosis in pigs (Jorgensen, 1995), thus the aim of the current study was to assess further the effect of protein nutrition on leg weakness in gilts.

Type
Threatre Presentations
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science , Volume 2001 , 2001 , pp. 11
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2001

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References

Douglas, R.G.A. (1992) Proceedings of the International Pig Veterinary Society 12: 379 Google Scholar
Jorgensen, B and Sorensen, M.T. (1998) Different rearing intensities of gilts: II. Effects on subsequent leg weakness and longevity. Livestock Production Science, 54: 167–171 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reid, D.M. and New, S.A. (1997) Nutritional influences on bone mass. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 56: 977 Google Scholar
Jorgensen, B. (1995) Effect of different energy and protein levels on leg weakness and osteochondrosis in pigs. Livestock Production Science, 41: 171–181 Google Scholar