Table 3. Performance of the finisher pigs reared on varying planes of nutrition during the grow-finish period

Item High plane (HP)1),2) Medium plane (MP)1),3) Low plane 1 (LP1)1),4) Low plane 2 (LP2)1),5) SEM Contrast
B G B G B G B G LP:HP LP:MP LP1:LP2 B:G
Phase I
 Initial Wt (kg) 71.9 ± 1.4 69.8 ± 1.4 71.3 ± 1.3 70.2 ± 1.4 74.1 ± 1.4 72.0 ± 1.3 75.2 ± 1.5 73.2 ± 1.3 - 0.05 0.05 0.45 0.10
 Days on feed 25 25 25 25 23 23 22 22 - - - - -
 Final Wt (kg) 97.9 ± 1.9 94.2 ± 1.8 98.4 ± 1.8 91.6 ± 1.7 95.2 ± 1.7 91.9 ± 1.5 97.1 ± 2.0 92.9 ± 1.7 - 0.24 0.60 0.40 < 0.01
 ADG (g) 1,040 ± 30 974 ± 29 1,084 ± 28 934 ± 28 914 ± 30 863 ± 28 993 ± 31 897 ± 27 - < 0.01 < 0.01 0.08 < 0.01
 ADFI (kg) 3.25 3.04 3.13 2.72 3.21 2.78 3.21 2.65 0.10 0.06 0.68 0.52 < 0.01
 Gain:feed 0.321 0.321 0.346 0.343 0.285 0.311 0.309 0.339 0.008 0.20 < 0.01 0.01 0.05
Phase II
 Days on feed 18.6 ± 1.2 21.9 ± 1.1 17.5 ± 1.1 19.7 ± 1.0 20.4 ± 1.3 22.4 ± 1.2 21.8 ± 1.2 24.3 ± 1.1 - 0.10 < 0.01 0.22 0.02
 Final Wt (kg) 118.0 ± 1.0 114.4 ± 1.0 116.7 ± 0.9 110.0 ± 0.9 115.5 ± 1.0 111.5 ± 0.9 118.2 ± 1.1 115.9 ± 0.9 - 0.29 0.04 < 0.01 < 0.01
 ADG (g) 1,087 ± 31 924 ± 30 1,020 ± 29 944 ± 28 1,030 ± 31 899 ± 29 983 ± 33 932 ± 29 - 0.11 0.42 0.81 < 0.01
 Days to 115 kg6) 165.0 ± 1.7 171.8 ± 1.6 168.1 ± 1.5 177.6 ± 1.5 173.3 ± 1.6 179.4 ± 1.5 170.6 ± 1.7 176.4 ± 1.5 - < 0.01 0.12 0.05 < 0.01
 ADFI (kg) 3.20 2.81 3.41 2.76 2.95 2.62 3.26 2.80 0.14 0.45 0.19 0.12 < 0.01
 Gain:feed 0.342 0.330 0.300 0.342 0.350 0.343 0.302 0.333 0.014 0.76 0.39 0.06 0.20
Carcass characteristics7)
 Live Wt (kg) 117.5 ± 1.3 115.1 ± 1.3 117.3 ± 1.2 113.6 ± 1.3 116.2 ± 1.3 112.3 ± 1.2 117.6 ± 1.3 116.8 ± 1.2 - 0.62 0.78 0.02 < 0.01
 Carcass Wt (kg) 88.7 ± 1.1 86.9 ± 1.1 88.5 ± 1.0 85.0 ± 1.1 87.6 ± 1.1 84.8 ± 1.0 89.2 ± 1.1 88.6 ± 1.0 - 0.77 0.39 0.01 < 0.01
 Dressing (%) 75.5 ± 0.3 75.5 ± 0.3 75.4 ± 0.3 74.9 ± 0.3 75.4 ± 0.3 75.5 ± 0.3 75.9 ± 0.3 75.8 ± 0.3 - 0.63 0.04 0.14 0.51
Backfat thickness (mm)
 Measurement 23.6 ± 0.8 19.8 ± 0.8 24.3 ± 0.7 19.8 ± 0.8 24.7 ± 0.8 20.5 ± 0.7 25.6 ± 0.8 21.6 ± 0.7 - 0.04 0.11 0.17 < 0.01
 At 115 kg8) 22.9 ± 0.7 19.8 ± 0.7 23.7 ± 0.7 20.1 ± 0.7 24.4 ± 0.7 21.0 ± 0.7 24.9 ± 0.7 21.2 ± 0.7 - 0.01 0.09 0.54 < 0.01
Nutritional composition of each diet is shown in Table 1. Data are least squares means (LSM) or LSM ± SEM of two replicates of 13 to 17 pigs, except for the variables of the carcass characteristics.
Fed the HP grower phases I and II and HP finisher diets during the grower phases I and II and the entire finisher phase, respectively.
Fed the MP grower phases I and II and MP1 finisher diets during the grower phases I and II and the entire finisher phase, respectively.
Fed the LP grower phases I and II and MP2 finisher diets during the grower phases I and II and the entire finisher phase, respectively.
Fed the LP grower phases I and II diets and the MP1 and LP finisher diets sequentially.
Estimated from the final weight and ADG.
Data are LSM ± SEM of 25 to 29 animals. Pigs weighing 102 kg or less at the end of the feeding trial were not slaughtered.
Corrected for the indicated live weight.
B, barrow; G, gilt; SEM, standard error of mean; Wt, weight; ADG, average daily gain; ADFI, average daily feed intake.