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University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55101
Abstract
Thirty-six gilts averaging 113.5 kg initially were used in a study which was conducted through two successive reproductive cycles to determine the influence of quantity and quality of protein fed the gravid female on body weight change, reproductive performance and subsequent development and carcass characteristics of her offspring. Throughout gestation, dams within separate groups were individually hand-fed corn-soybean meal diets at the rate of 1.82 kg per head daily to provide daily intakes of 341 or 250 g protein per dam, respectively. A third group was fed 154 g protein per head daily, all of which was supplied by corn. Of the original 12 gilts started per group, only 10, 7 and 5 sows from the highest, intermediate and lowest protein intake groups, respectively, completed two successive reproductive cycles. Four dams from each of the gestation treatment groups receiving 250 and 154 g protein per head daily were removed due to conception failure. Aside from injury, two animals were removed from the lowest protein treatment group due to apparent resorption of feti and extremely poor litter size, respectively, while one gilt was removed from the group receiving 341 g protein daily due to failure to exhibit estrous.These data suggest that the productive life of the sow was reduced by feeding the lowest level and quality of protein during gestation.
Treatment of dams in cycle 1 had no effect on weight gain during gestation, however, sows receiving the highest level of protein during gestation in cycle 2 had significantly (P<.05) greater weight gains (47.8 vs. 33.8 kg) than sows receiving the lowest but not the intermediate level (47.8 vs. 43.8 kg). Quantity and quality of protein fed to dams during gestation for two successive reproductive cycles had no significant effect on condition at farrowing or weight loss at farrowing. Total and live pigs farrowed per litter were not significantly affected by treatment. Vigor and weight at birth as well as weaning weight of offspring in the first reproductive cycle were not significantly affected by treatment.However, pigs from dams receiving the intermediate level of protein in the second reproductive cycle weighed significantly (P<.01)less at birth and had significantly (P<.01)poorer strength scores than pigs from dams receiving either the highest or the lowest level of protein. These pigs and those from sows fed at the lowest level of protein gained less from 0 to 21 days than pigs from sows fed at the highest level of protein (4.6 vs. 4.1 and 4.1 kg). Average sow weight loss during lactation was also unaffected by daily protein intake during gestation. There was no apparent effect of quantity and quality of protein fed the gravid female during two successive reproductive cycles on average daily gain and feed/gain ratios of offspring during the growing period subsequent to 21 days. Gestation treatment of dams also appeared to have little or no effect on carcass leanness of offspring as measured by backfat thickness, cross-sectional area of l. dorsi, percent trimmed ham and loin of slaughter weight and of chilled carcass weight,or composition of lean tissue from the l. dorsi.
1 Paper No. 7253, Scientific Journal Series, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, St. Paul.
2 Appreciation is expressed to Glen Swartz and associates for assistance in caring for experimental animals and to L. C. Gundlach for assisting with collection of carcass data.
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