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Prediction of Composition of Crossbred Swine from Birth to 136 Kg Live Weight via the Liquid Scintillation Whole Body Counter¹

University of Missouri^,3, Columbia 65201

Abstract

Seventy crossbred barrows were utilized to study the accuracy of ⁴⁰K, as estimated by a liquid scintillation whole body counter, to predict fat-free weight, fat-free-moisture-free weight, fat weight, percent nitrogen, percent moisture and gross energy of the empty body and carcass. The animals were allotted to one of eight slaughter weight groups ranging from 1.2 to 135.5 kilograms. The 1.2, 5.4 and 13.5 kg groups were counted in a 4-pi counter. The 13.5, 26.8, 53.2, 81.8, 109.1 and 135.5 kg groups were counted in the 2-pi counter. Potassium-40 was not measured on the carcasses from the 1.2 kg group.

All animals were fed ad libitum until they averaged 53.2 kg and then one-half of the remaining pigs were limited-fed at the rate of 75% of the ad libitum consumption of the full-fed animals. This limited feeding regimen produced no significant differences in empty body composition as estimated by the whole body counter. Both Potassium-40 and live weight were found to be highly correlated with all of the parameters measured. There was no advantage in using carcass data vs. live data in the prediction of carcass parameters.

¹ Contribution from the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station. Journal Series No. 6786. Approved by the Director.

² Department of Statistics.

³ Department of Animal Husbandry.