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Differences in Swine Performance and Carcass Characteristics because of Dietary Protein Level, Sex and Breed¹

Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton

Abstract

Sixty weanling pigs were individually fed in a 3x2x2 factorial experiment to study effects of level of protein sequences (18-15%; 16-13% and 14-11%), sex (barrow and gilt) and breed (Duroc and Hampshire) on performance and carcass traits of growing-finishing swine.

Pigs fed diets containing either 18-15% or 16-13% protein sequences were more efficient in utilizing feed and had a higher yield of lean cuts than pigs fed the 14-11% protein diets. Pigs fed diets containing 18-15% protein had less backfat than pigs fed diets containing either 16-13% or 14-11% protein and had a larger loin-eye area than pigs fed the 14-11% protein diets.

Barrows gained weight faster than gilts, but gilts had a higher dressing percent and produced longer carcasses with less backfat, larger loin-eye area, and a higher yield of lean cuts. Duroc pigs gained weight faster and more efficiently than Hampshire pigs, but Hampshires produced carcasses which were longer and had less backfat, a larger loin-eye area, and a higher yield of lean cuts.

¹ Coastal Plain Station Journal Series Paper No. 227.

² Respectively, Associate Animal Husbandman and Head of Department of Animal Science. The authors wish to express their appreciation to Dr. J. C. Johnson, Jr. for his advice and assistance in the statistical analyses and interpretation of the data.