Grass/clover silage for growing/finishing pigs – effect of silage pre-treatment and feeding strategy on growth performance and carcass traits

Abstract

This study evaluated the influence of feeding strategy and grass/clover silage pre-treatment on pig growth performance and carcass traits. In total, 128 pigs weighing 30–110 kg were fed either a commercial control feed or received silage in a pellet (SP) or in a total mixed ratio (TMR) containing chopped silage (SC) or intensively treated silage (SE). Silage replaced 20% of dietary crude protein content (g/kg). Diet affected weight gain (P = 0.001), with pigs fed the SP diet showing best overall growth performance. Pigs fed the SC diet had the lowest weight gain (P = 0.001), while pigs fed the SE diet performed similarly to those fed the control diet. Carcass weight and dressing percentage differed between the diets (P = 0.016 and P = 0.018), but there was no difference in lean meat content (P = 0.832). The results show satisfactory growth performance and carcass traits, indicating that silage can replace other protein sources in growing/finishing pig diets.

Keywords

growing/finishing pig; silage; legumes; TMR; growth performance; carcass traits

Published in

Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A - Animal Science
2021, volume: 70, number: 3-4, pages: 151-160

SLU Authors

• Friman, Johanna

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

• Lundh, Torbjörn

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

• Åkerfeldt, Magdalena

  • 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/10.1080/09064702.2021.1993319

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/114276