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Effect of Previous type of Confinement on Length of Adjustment for Barrows in Metabolism Trials¹

New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, New Brunswick

Abstract

Two metabolism experiments were conducted to examine the length of the adjustment period necessary and the influence of previous type of confinement (individual- and group-penned). The indicator method was employed to determine digestibility. A fortified corn-soybean meal diet which contained 1% chromic oxide was fed twice daily at a rate of 11% of the metabolic body size per day. In experiment 1, 12 barrows were placed in individual pens on the platform prior to being placed in the metabolism units. In experiment 2, 12 barrows were equally allotted into 3 groups; group 1 barrows were placed in individual pens and groups 2 and 3 barrows were placed, as a group, in separate pens on the platform. One collection period was conducted on the platform and four 4-day collection periods were conducted in the metabolism units in both experiments. The group 3 barrows in experiment 2 remained on the platform for the entire experiment.

No differences in weight gain, retained nitrogen and digestibilities of dry matter, protein and energy resulted due to the two types of previous confinement and, as such, it appears that social competition is not a major factor in the adjustment period of swine to metabolism units. However, since a low weight gain occurred in period 1 of experiment 1 and low digestibility values were obtained in period 2 of both experiments with their subsequent increase and plateau, it appears that the barrows experienced a stress at the initiation of the experiments. Possible reasons for the curvilinear trend observed for the digestibility values are discussed.

¹ Paper of the Journal Series, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. Rutgers University—The State University of New Jersey, Department of Animal Sciences, New Brunswick 08903.

² Present address: Department of Animal Science, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801.

³ Present address: Applied Statistics Group, E. I. duPont de Nemours & Co., Wilmington, Delaware 19898.

⁴ Present address: Department of Animal Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg 24061.