Journal of Animal Science, Vol 68, Issue 3 640-651, Copyright © 1990 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Dose response in growth of pigs injected daily with porcine somatotropin from 57 to 103 kilograms

D. G. McLaren, P. J. Bechtel, G. L. Grebner, J. Novakofski, F. K. McKeith, R. W. Jones, R. H. Dalrymple and R. A. Easter
Dept. of Anim. Sci., University of Illinois, Urbana 61801.

Exogenous administration of porcine somatotropin (PST) has been shown to promote growth in the pig; however, dose-response relationships and interactions with PST source and sex for animals taken to market weight have not been established clearly. The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between dosage of pituitary-derived and recombinantly manufactured PST (pPST and rPST) and growth (ADG), structural soundness, gain-to-feed ratio (G/F) and average daily feed intake (ADF). Crossbred barrows (n = 113) and gilts (n = 97) were injected with either saline, 1.5, 3.0, 6.0 or 9.0 mg/d of pPST or rPST from 57 +/- .3 to 103.5 +/- .7 kg live weight. Pigs were housed five per pen and had ad libitum access to an 18% crude protein diet for the duration of the experiment. Response curves for pPST and rPST did not differ (P greater than .20) for ADG, soundness score or ADF. Although regression coefficients for response of G/F to pPST and rPST differed (P = .05), pairwise comparisons of treatment means did not (P greater than .10). Response curves for barrows and gilts did not differ for ADG or soundness (P greater than .05). Averaged over PST source and sex, quadratic dose-responses were detected for ADG, G/F and ADF (P less than .01), but PST had no effect on soundness (P greater than .25). Exponential regression models best described the dose-response relationships, and 6.0 mg.pig-1.d-1 was predicted to result in 95% of maximal achievable response for days to 103.5 kg and G/F. At this dose, pigs were predicted to grow .15 kg/d (20%) faster during the treatment period, reach slaughter weight 11.6 d earlier, consume .56 kg/d (19%) less feed, and have a G/F .095 (36%) greater than controls.

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