Feed intake behaviour of group-housed Piétrain and Large White growing pigs

Abstract

-Feed intake behaviour traits were recorded on 210 Large White and 114 Pietrain entire male pigs housed in single-breed groups (range of group size: 8-13) and having 24 h access to 'Acema 48' electronic feed dispensers. Three stages of growth were considered (average body weights of 39, 64 and 89 kg for both breeds), and feeding behaviour traits were calculated separately for two periods of the day (8-20 h and 20-8 (34.8 vs. 38.1 g ' min ' ', ', P < 0.01 Average time per meal (9.4 min), however, was not breed-dependent. Both breeds followed similar trends in feeding behaviour over the course of growth, even though the breed by stage of growth interaction was revealed to be significant for several traits. The nychthemeral distribution of feed intake was around 70 % and 30 % feed consumed in the 'daylight' and 'nightly' periods of day, respectively. The percentage of nightly feeding activity significantly decreased in the second part of the growth period. There were noticeable batch (season) and group size effects on most feed intake pattern traits but not on feed intake level. The latter trait showed a markedly lower repeatability across the three stages of growth (around 0.30)

Detecting QTL for feed intake traits and other performance traits in growing pigs in a Piétrain–Large White backcross

“…Estimated effects were in the usual range of literature estimates (Larzul et al, 1997). Labroue et al (1999) found a lower DFI, by 19%, in the PI breed compared with the LW breed, which would correspond to 2 to 3 s.d. of the trait, and reported a small difference in feed efficiency between the two breeds.…”

“…Labroue et al, 1994Labroue et al, , 1999. The halothane mutation was segregating in all the sire families.…”

“…These two breeds show large differences for DFI and, to a lower extent, feed efficiency and feeding behaviour (Labroue et al, 1999). Growth, carcass composition and meat quality traits were also recorded on BC progeny so QTL detection could also be applied to these traits.…”

The effects of genotype and dietary lysine concentration on the production of weaner pigs

“…Pietrain piglets had a poorer FCR during week 3 compared to the other 2 genotypes, indicating that they used their feed less efficiently than the Hampshire and Large White piglets, or perhaps that Pietrain piglets were wasting more feed due to differences in feeding behaviour among the genotypes. Studies have demonstrated differences between genetic lines in terms of feeding patterns such as changes in feed consumption and frequency of feeder visits (Augspurger et al, 2002;Labroue et al, 1999). Labroue et al (1999) found that Pietrain boars visited the trough much less frequently but for longer periods of time compared to Large White boars.…”

Distribution of Isoflavones in Samples of Serum, Liver and Mammary Glands of Rats or Pigs Fed Dietary Isoflavones

“…For example, with a fast of 48 h, the serum isoflavone level was reported to increase by 1.7-fold compared to that of nonfasted mice [29]. It is not known whether an overnight fast in pigs would have any significant effect on the pharmacokinetics of isoflavones in this species, especially when pigs are known to consume only small amounts of feed at night [30]. Further research is needed to fully investigate the impact of the duration of fasting on the pharmacokinetics of isoflavones in pigs.…”