• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.1354-1363
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• 2010

This study compared the effect of four different feeding methods for gestating gilts on reproductive performance and growth of their progeny. A total of 40 F1 primiparous sows (Yorkshire${\times}$Landrace) were allotted to four treatments in a completely randomized design (CRD). For treatments, gestating period of sows was divided into three trimesters (0-35 d, 36-90 d and 91-110 d) and different amounts of feed were provided to each treatment group by Flat, Down-Up-Down (DUD), Up-Down-Up (UDU) and Down-Up-Up (DUU) feeding methods. The experimental diet was formulated to meet or exceed the standards of NRC (1998). Body weight gain of gestating gilts from d 0 to 110 was affected by feeding method (p<0.05). When gilts were fed constant feed ration (Flat feeding), less body weight loss was observed during lactation (-0.9 kg, p<0.05) and desirable backfat thickness (average 19.5 mm) was acquired at 110 days of gestation. Feed intake of lactating sows tended to be greater (4.22, 3.60, 3.97 and 4.13 kg/d, p>0.05) as sows in Flat feeding treatment had lower backfat thickness during gestation compared with other treatments (p<0.05). When gestating gilts were fed higher amount of feed during mid-trimester, the number of stillborn (1.4 piglet per litter, p<0.05) and mummies (0.8 piglet per litter, p = 0.25) were increased compared to other treatments. Feeding methods for gestating gilts had no effect on litter weight and gain of litter weight during the nursing period. Flat feeding method resulted in decreased plasma glucose concentration at 7 d postpartum (p<0.05), and increased LH concentration at 21 d postpartum (p<0.01) compared to other treatments. These results suggested that higher feed intake of gestating gilts resulted in detrimental effects on body condition and reproductive performance of sows. When gestating gilts consumed constant feed during gestation (2 kg/d), better reproductive performance and less body weight loss in lactation were observed because sows consumed more feed during the whole lactation period. Consequently, Flat feeding will be a desirable feeding strategy for gestating gilts to maximize reproductive performance, and better body condition of sows without any negative influence on the growth of their progeny.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1516-1521
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• 2008

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different energy intake on physical and chemical composition in body fractions, growth performance and meat characteristics of finishing barrows and gilts. A total of twenty six crossbred (Landrace$\times$Yorkshire) consisting of 16 barrows and 13 gilts were used in this study. The animals were allocated by sex to two treatments to form a $2\times2$ factorial arrangement. The respective factors were sex (barrow and gilt) and dietary energy intake (1.8 and 3.0 times energy for maintenance). Pigs were kept in individual pens and had ad libitum access to feed and water from the start of the experiment at $52.4{\pm}1.9kg$ until they reached $109.9{\pm}4.4kg$ live weight. The growth performance, physical composition and meat characteristics of finishing pigs were not greatly affected by the sex. However, higher fat tissue weight in the carcass was observed in barrows compared with gilts (p<0.05). Higher proportions of water and protein (p<0.05), and lower lipid proportion (p<0.01) in the empty body and carcass were observed in gilts compared with barrows, while protein proportion in lean tissue was not affected by the sex. In fat tissue, only protein proportion was higher in gilts compared with barrows (p<0.05). Although, growth performance, physical and chemical compositions in body fractions were greatly affected, final body or carcass weight was partly affected by the energy intake In addition, loin characteristics such as shear force and loin eye area were partly influenced by energy intake levels. Therefore, the present results showed that growth performance and meat characteristics were not influenced but chemical body composition was greatly influenced by the sex. Growth performance, physical and chemical compositions in body fractions were greatly affected, whereas meat characteristics were partly affected by the energy intake levels.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.688-692
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• 2004

Fifty four crossbred gilts of 26.38${\pm}$0.85 kg body weight and 25 weeks of age were randomly divided into three groups, having six replicates of three animals each and were assigned to one of the three dietary treatments containing corn, wheat bran and rice bran (RB) at 35, 47 and 0% in $R_1$; 17.5, 23.5 and 41% in $R_2$ and 0, 0 and 82% in $R_3$. Soybean meal and fishmeal were used as source of protein at 10 and 6%, respectively, in all the rations. Average daily CP, DCP, DE and ME intake per kg $W^{0.75}$ and body weight gains were lowest (p<0.01) in gilts fed 82% RB ($R_3$), followed by $R_2$ and R1. Utilization of protein with respect to nitrogen balance and DCP conversion efficiency did not differ (p>0.05) between the treatment groups. All the gilts were in positive nitrogen balance. However, the excretion of dietary nitrogen and energy through faeces was higher (p<0.01) in gilts fed RB. However, the DE and ME conversion efficiency were higher (p<0.01) in gilts fed RB. Therefore, it can be concluded that the digestibility of energy and protein in diets containing rice bran goes on decreasing with the increasing level of fat and fibre, but the metabolizability of the energy and protein was better in pigs fed RB in the diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.1314-1322
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• 2017

Objective: This experiment investigated the effect of dietary net energy (NE) concentrations on growth performance and NE intake of growing gilts. Methods: Five diets were formulated to contain 9.6, 10.1, 10.6, 11.1, and 11.6 MJ NE/kg, respectively. A metabolism trial with 10 growing pigs (average body weight [BW] = $15.9{\pm}0.24kg$) was conducted to determine NE concentrations of 5 diets based on French and Dutch NE systems in a $5{\times}5$ replicated Latin square design. A growth trial also was performed with five dietary treatments and 12 replicates per treatment using 60 growing gilts (average BW = $15.9{\pm}0.55kg$) for 28 days. A regression analysis was performed to predict daily NE intake from the BW of growing gilts. Results: Increasing NE concentrations of diets did not influence average daily gain and average daily feed intake of growing gilts. There was a quadratic relationship (p = 0.01) between dietary NE concentrations and feed efficiency (G:F), although the difference in G:F among treatment means was relatively small. Regression analysis revealed that daily NE intake was linearly associated with the BW of growing gilts. The prediction equations for NE intake with the BW of growing gilts were: NE intake (MJ/d) = $1.442+(0.562{\times}BW,kg)$, $R^2=0.796$ when French NE system was used, whereas NE intake (MJ/d) = $1.533+(0.614{\times}BW,kg)$, $R^2=0.810$ when Dutch NE system was used. Conclusion: Increasing NE concentrations of diets from 9.6 to 11.6 MJ NE/kg have little impacts on growth performance of growing gilts. Daily NE intake can be predicted from the BW between 15 and 40 kg in growing gilts.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.1731-1737
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• 2000

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of threonine:lysine ratios on growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration, and to estimate the optimal threonine:lysine ratios for growing barrows and gilts. A total of 150 pigs (Landrace${\times}$Yorkshire${\times}$Duroc, $16.75{\pm}0.42kg$ average body weight, 75 barrows and 75 gilts) was randomly allotted into six treatments in a $2{\times}3$ factorial design. Six diets were formulated to contain 1.12% lysine for barrows and 1.33% lysine for gilts with three threonine:lysine ratios (50, 60 and 70%) for both barrows and gilts. Throughout the whole experimental period (16 to 56 kg body weight), there was no interaction between sex and dietary threonine:lysine ratio in average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion rate (FCR). Between sexes, there was a clear sex-effect showing better growth performance of barrows. Barrows consumed more feed (p<0.01) and grew faster (p<0.01) than gilts. For barrows, there was a trend to improved ADG and FCR with increasing threonine:lysine ratio. For gilts, there was a trend to improved ADG and FCR up to threonine:lysine ratio of 60%, but not significant. There was no interaction between sex and threonine:lysine ratio in nutrient digestibilities of growing pigs except for crude ash (CA). Between sexes, there were differences in nutrient digestibilities, except for calcium for which gilts showed higher a digestibility (p<0.01). Among dietary threonine:lysine ratios, there were no differences in nutrient digestibilities. Mean values of essential amino acids (EAA), non-essential amino acids (NEAA) and total amino acids (TAA) digestibilities were not affected by sex and dietary threonine:lysine ratio. There was no evidence of an interaction between sexes and dietary threonine:lysine ratio. Between sexes, total BUN concentration was lower in gilts than barrows (p<0.05). It was concluded that a 70 and 60% dietary threonine:lysine ratio for barrows (1.12% lysine) and gilts (1.33% lysine) tended to result in better growth performances and nutrient utilization and lower BUN concentration than other threonine:lysine ratios.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1775-1779
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• 2005

Seventy-two crossbred gilts of approximately 33 kg initial weight were used in this study. The gilts were randomly assigned into three groups. The three dietary treatments were basal diet only (control group), basal diet+10 mg/kg lead, and basal diet+10 mg/kg lead+0.5% particulate montmorillonite (PM). The results showed that the addition of lead to the diet decreased significantly the body weight and feed efficiency, but PM could restore body weight and feed efficiency of gilts compared to the Pb exposure group. There were no significant differences in weights of ovaries and uteri with addition of either lead or PM to the diet. Supplementing the lead in the diet of gilts also significantly increased the concentration of lead in blood, decreased circulating lutenizing hormone (LH) and estradiol (E$_2$) levels in serum, the addition of PM to the diet effectively adsorbed and lowered lead concentration in the blood. These data suggested that lead disrupts the signals between the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in gilts, and possibly suppressed the secretion of relative growth hormone and sex hormone. On the other hand, PM may ameliorate Pb toxicity in pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.1223-1226
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• 2004

Previously candidate gene approach revealed estrogen receptor (ESR) locus was associated with increased litter size. In this study, PvuII polymorphisms of ESR gene was detected by PCR-RFLP, and ESR locus was evaluated for its association with reproductive tracts components in the Large $White{\times}Meishan$ ($LW{\times}M$) F2 offspring. Ninety seven gilts with reproductive tracts components records and 136 offspring with performance traits records were genotyped and the results were used to estimate allele substitution effects. The results showed that two alleles (A and B) were identified, and 121 bp fragments were observed for the AA genotype and 65 bp and 56 bp fragments for the BB genotype; the length of uterine body (LUB) of BB gilts were significantly shorter than AA gilts', the additive effect was -1.762 cm; the uterine weight (UW) of AB gilts were significantly lighter than AA gilts' with the additive effect -18.058 g; no significant associations of ESR alleles with ovulation rate (OR), length of uterine horn (LUH), length of uterine cervix (LUC), weight of two ovaries (OW), volume of uterine lumen (VUL), length of oviduct (LO) were observed. BB genotypes gilts need significantly less days to 100 kg ($D_{100kg}$) than AA genotypes (p<0.01), the additive effect was per copy of B allele. Allele B is also favorable for average daily gain (ADG), with additive effect 0.015 kg/d (p<0.05). There was no difference between genotypes for backfat thickness at the 13th rib (SF13), loin meat height (ELMH), and loin meat percentage was estimated (ELMP), individual birth weight (IBW) and teat number (TN).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1452-1458
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• 2004

An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of sex and market weight on performance, carcass characteristics and pork quality. A total of 224 crossbred pigs (initially 26.64 kg BW) were allotted in a $2{\times}4$ factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block (RCB) design. The variables were sex (gilts and barrows) and different market weights (100, 110, 120 and 130 kg). Average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) were significantly higher (p<0.01) in barrows than gilts, ADFI and feed conversion ratio (FCR) increased as body weight increased (p<0.05). Gender differences were observed in carcass characteristics. Backfat thickness and drip loss were greater in barrows (p<0.01), while loin eye area (p<0.01), flavor score (p<0.05) and lean content (p<0.001) were higher in gilts. Carcass grade and water holding capacity were the highest in 110 kg market weight pigs. The 100 kg arket weight pigs showed lower juiciness, tenderness, shear forces and total palatability than the other market weights (p<0.01). Hunter values (L*, a* and b*) were increased as market weight increased (p<0.05). Hunter a* value was greater in gilts (p<0.01) but L* value and b* value were not affected by sex of pigs. Net profit [(carcass weight${\times}$price by carcass grade)-(total feed cost+cost of purchased pig)] was higher in gilts than barrows (p<0.01), and was higher (p<0.05) in the pigs marketed at 110 and 120 kg market weight compared with 100 kg market weight. These results demonstrated that gilts showed higher carcass characteristics, pork quality, feed cost per kg body weight gain and net profit compared with barrows. Moreover, 110 or 120 kg body weight would be the recommended market weight based on pork quality and net profit for swine producers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1309-1313
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• 2016

Metabolic signals and the state of energy reserves have been shown to play a crucial role in the regulation of reproductive function. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of dietary glucose levels on puberty onset in gilts. Weight-matched, landrace gilts (n = 36) $162{\pm}3days$ old, weighing about $71.05{\pm}4.53kg$, were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatment groups of 12 gilts each. The trial lasted until the onset of puberty. Gilts in each group were supplied with diets containing different levels of glucose as follows: i) starch group (SG) was free of glucose, contained 64% corn derived starch; ii) low-dose group (LDG) contained 19.2% glucose and 44.8% corn derived starch; iii) high-dose group (HDG) contained 30% glucose and 30% corn derived starch. Results indicated: i) The growth performance of gilts were not affected by the addition of glucose, but the age of puberty onset was advanced significantly (p<0.05); ii) Compared with the SG, the concentration of insulin significantly increased before puberty in HDG (p<0.05); iii) There was no difference in serum progesterone (P) levels amongst the different feed groups, however, levels of estradiol ($E_2$), luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone were significantly higher at puberty onset in HDG (p<0.05). Overall, our findings indicate that glucose supplementation significantly advances puberty onset, which can have practical purposes for commercial breeding.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.69-77
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• 1984

Gross and histological findings were obtained on cysts formed in the reproductive organs, particularly in the mesosalpinx, mesovarium, and fimbria, of 144 gilts and 37 sows. Of the 181 gilts and sows, 63 (34.8%) were found to have cysts which totaled 89. The number of cysts totaled 38 for the gilts and 51 for the sows, with relative frequencies of 18.1% and 48.6%, respectively. The total number of cysts and the incidence were greater in the sows than in the gilts. With regard to the location of cysts, the highest incidence was found in the mesosalpinx (59.6%). The incidence of cysts in the mesovarium and fimbria was relatively low, with 16.9% and 23.6%, respectively. Most cysts were spherical or oval in shape, and below 5.9mm in diameter. A pedunculated cyst was also seen. The bilateral, incidence of the cysts was lower than unilateral, although the incidence was approxmately the same between the gilts and the sows. With regard to the sexual cycle, the high incidence of cysts was found in the follicular phase than in the luteal phase. The cysts putting pressure upon the oviduct were classified into 3 types according to the shape of epithelium and lamina propria. In type I the epithelium had ciliated cells and the lamina propria formed folds. I type 2 ciliated cells existed, but no folds were formed. In type 3, neither ciliated cells nor folds were seen, the histological change, including partial atrophy and lack of folds in the tubal mucosa were seen.