Journal of Animal Science, Vol 78, Issue 8 2062-2067, Copyright © 2000 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Group size and floor-space allowance can affect weanling-pig performance

B. F. Wolter, M. Ellis, S. E. Curtis, E. N. Parr and D. M. Webel
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801, USA.

Crossbred weanling piglets (n = 1,920; mean initial BW, 5.3 +/- .7 kg) were used in two 9-wk trials employing a randomized block design in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments to determine effects of group size (20 [Small = S] or 100 [Large = L] pigs/pen) and floor-space allowance (calculated requirement [CR] or calculated requirement less 50% of estimated "free space" [CR-50]) on growth performance. Free space was estimated for each group size. From wk 1 through 4 after weaning, S and L groups at CR were allowed a floor space of .17 m2/pig, and at CR-50, S and L groups were allowed .15 m2/pig and .13 m2/pig, respectively. From wk 5 through 9 after weaning, all CR treatment pigs were provided a floor space of .38 m2/pig, and for the CR-50 treatment, S and L pigs were allowed .32 m2/pig and .28 m2/pig, respectively. Piglets had free access to feed and water. Feeder-trough space per pig was the same for both group sizes. Feed-intake data were collected for only wk 1 through 4. Group size by floor-space allowance interactions (P < .05) were found for gain/feed ratio (G/F) for wk 1 and wk 2 through 4, but not for wk 1 through 4. Piglets in L groups were lighter (P < .001) at the end of wk 1, 4, and 9 by 2, 4, and 5%, respectively, and had lower ADG (6%; P < .001) throughout the trial than S piglets. During wk 1 through 4, feed intake was lower (7%, P < .001) in L piglets than in S piglets, but G/F was similar (P > .05). Piglets in CR groups had greater ADG (5%; P < .01) throughout the trial, with a greater G/F (P < .05) for wk 1 through 4, and were heavier (P < .01) than those in CR-50 groups at the end of wk 4 (3%) and 9 (4%). Pigs in L groups had a greater within-pen coefficient of variation in BW at the end of wk 9 than pigs in S groups. Large groups and reduced floor-space allowance reduced piglet growth performance in the nursery.

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