Abstract

Fifty pure-bred Large White gilts were allocated to two feeding levels from 28 kg until service. They were fed a standard growing diet (13.4 MJ digestible energy (DE) per kg; 18.1 % crude protein, CP; 0.96 % lysine) either to appetite (AP) or at 80 % of the AP level (R). Growth rate was reduced by about 20 % in R gilts, whereas feed conversion ratio was unaffected by rearing treatment. First oestrus was detected earlier in AP gilts (234 versus 247 d of age). At service, AP females had larger body weight (190 versus 150 kg) and thicker backfat (20.9 versus 13.4 mm). After service, the reproductive performances of 30 of these gilts were studied during the: first reproductive cycle. All gilts received 2.6 kg/d of a standard diet (12.6 MJ DE/kg; 13.9 % CP; 0.59 % lysine) during pregnancy and were fed ad libitum a commercial lactation diet (13.1 MJ DE/kg; 17.1 % CP; 0.90 % lysine) from day five after farrowing. At farrowing, AP females were larger (257 versus 225 kg) and had more backfat (23.7 versus 17.4 mm) than R ones. Reproductive performance during the first lactation was not affected by rearing treatment, and weaning to oestrus interval was similar in both groups (4.8 d, on average). During lactation, R sows consumed significantly more feed (+ 650 g/d) and lost less backfat depth (1.5 versus 3.8 mm) than AP ones. (C) Inra/Elsevier, Paris.

Keywords

gilts; rearing; performance; reproduction; feed intake

Published in

Reproduction Nutrition Development
1998, Volume: 38, number: 4, pages: 363-375
Publisher: EDITIONS SCIENTIFIQUES MEDICALES ELSEVIER

SLU Authors

• Neil, Maria

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Animal and Dairy Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/rnd:19980402

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/79323