Philippine E-Journals

Effect of Varying Energy Levels on the Performance of Landrace and Large White Barrows and Gilts

Appin D. Pinkihan | Placido F. Alcantara

Discipline: Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science

 

Abstract:

Two experiments were conducted to determine the responses of growing pigs to different energy levels (2900, 3000, 3100 and 3200 kcal/kg ME). In the first experiment, 160 Large White (LW) x Landrace (LD) crossbred barrows and gilts were used in a 4 x 2 factorial experiment (energy level x sex). At 40-75 kg live weight, there was an increasing growth rate, energy intake, back fat thickness and P2 measurement and decreasing average daily feed intake, energy efficiency and feed conversion ratio of both barrows and gilts with Increasing energy level (P<0.05). At 75-90 kg live weight, both barrows and gilts followed a linear-plateau response on growth rate while back fat thickness and P2 measurement increased with increasing energy level. At 40-90 kg live weight, LWx LD pigs responded significantly to increasing energy level with increasing average daily gain and energy intake.

In the second experiment, 72 purebred LD gilts and 72 purebred LW gilts were used in a 4 x 2 factorial experiment (energy x breed). At 40-75 kg live weight, both LD and LW gilts had increasing rate of gain, energy intake, back fat thickness and P2 measurement with increasing energy level. At 75-90 kg live weight, both LD and LW gilts had increasing average daily gain, back fat thickness and P2 measurement (P<0.05). LW gilts had higher growth rate, energy intake, protein deposition rate, energy efficiency and lower feed efficiency, back fat thickness and P2 measurements than LW gilts. LW gilts had higher average dally gain, lower energy intake, shorter days to reach 90-kg live weight and are more efficient energy converters compared with LD gilts (P<0.05).