Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-18T02:05:52.044Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Testing regression models for pig feeding systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. B. Dent
Affiliation:
The University of Aberdeen
P. R. English
Affiliation:
The University of Aberdeen
J. R. Raeburn
Affiliation:
The University of Aberdeen
Get access

Summary

Regression equations have been tested relating average daily gains in pigs to average daily intake of crude protein, lysine, and TDN for each of three growth stages. The tests were based on output contour curves representing 1 lb, 1·4 lb and 1·75 lb live-weight gain per day in the three stages. On each contour, while crude protein intake was held constant, points were selected to represent the economically optimum combination of lysine and TDN intakes, a ‘high energy-low lysine’ combination and a ‘low energy-high lysine’ combination. For the latter two points, least cost mixes of feed ingredients were computed. Four feed mixes were computed at the economically optimum combination of lysine and TDN intakes. Comparisons were made between the performance of pigs given the six different mixes to assess the validity both of the slope of the output contour and its position and to examine the influence on growth performance of the ingredient specification of diets formulated to the same nutrient levels.

Using the six diets formulated on each contour, 12 feeding systems were developed all of which theoretically would take the pig from 50 to 200 lb in the same number of days. Six of these systems maintained the same diet type for each period; the others involved a change of diet type at least once during the three stages of growth. Diets formulated to meet the economically optimum combination of nutrients based largely on maize and groundnut meal stimulated inferior daily gains compared with alternative formulations. Both diets with a larger percentage of their lysine supplied from synthetic sources (the economically optimum combination based on maize and groundnut meal, and a low energy-high lysine combination) led to inferior daily gains. Pig performance was generally poorer than expectation, particularly from 50 to 150 lb live weight.

No differences could be attributed to differing ingredient composition in equi-nutrient diets. Similarly, no significant differences in growth rate were found between those systems which maintained a constant diet type throughout the three stages of growth. Pigs on systems which involved a change in diet type from one stage of growth to another grew in general slower than those pigs which had a fixed-diet type throughout.

Pigs on both diet combinations with a high percentage of weatings (a high cost formulation and a low energy-high lysine combination) had the best carcass results.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1970

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Agricultural Research Council. 1967. The Nutrient Requirements of Farm Livestock, No. 3, Pigs. Technical Reviews and Summaries. Agricultural Research Council, London.Google Scholar
Bell, J. M. 1963. Nutrient requirements for Canadian Yorkshire swine. III. A study of the U.S.N.C. (1959) nutrient standards for swine by linear programming. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 43: 118134.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blair, R., Dent, J. B., English, P. R. and Raeburn, J. R. 1969. Protein, lysine and feed intake level effects on pig growth. I. Main effects. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 72: 379400.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bowland, J. P. 1962. Electronic computation of swine rations. Mimeo Rep., Univ. of Alberta, 41st Annual Feeder's Day, pp. 811.Google Scholar
Buck, S. F., Harrington, G. and Johnson, R. F. 1962. The prediction of lean percentage of pigs of bacon weight from carcass measurements. Anim. Prod. 4: 2536.Google Scholar
Chamberlain, A. G. 1968. The effects of dietary fish meal level on the performance of growing pigs. Anim. Prod. 10: 236 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Dent, J. B. 1964. Optimal rations for livestock with special reference to bacon pigs. J. agric. Econ. 16: 6889.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dent, J. B. 1967. Linear programming for feed mix design. J. Inst. Corn Agric. Mech. 15: 8183.Google Scholar
Dent, J. B. and English, P. R. 1966. The evaluation of economically optimal rations for bacon pigs formulated by curve fitting and linear programming techniques. Anim. Prod. 8: 213220.Google Scholar
Jones, A. E., Hepburn, W. R. and Boyne, A. W. 1961. The nitrogen metabolism of young pigs. I. Supplemental value of certain amino acids when added to groundnut meal rations. J. Sci. Fd Agric. 12: 353362.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, A. S., Livingstone, D. M. and Livingstone, R. M. 1963. Effects of varying protein and lysine levels in the diets of pigs. Anim. Prod. 5: 222223 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Jurgens, M. H., Hudman, W. R., Adams, C. H. and Peo, E. R. Jr. 1967. Influence of a dietary supplement of lysine fed at two levels of protein on the growth, feed efficiency and carcass characteristics of swine. J. Anim. Sci. 26: 323327.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McWard, G. W., Becker, D. E., Norton, H. W., Terril, S. W. and Jensen, A. H. 1959. The lysine requirement of weaning swine at two levels of dietary protein. J. Anim. Sci. 18: 10591066.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Munro, H. N. and Allison, J. B. 1964. Mammalian protein metabolism. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
National Research Council. 1964. Nutrient requirements of swine. Pub. 1192. National Academy of National Research Council, Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
Nielsen, H. E., Hays, V. W., Speer, V. C. and Catron, D. V. 1963. Lysine supplementation of corn and barley based diets for growing-finishing swine. J. Anim. Sci. 22: 454457.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robinson, D. W. and Lewis, D. 1964. Protein and energy nutrition of the bacon pig. 2. The effect of varying the protein and energy levels in the diets of finishing pigs. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 63: 185190.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robinson, D. W., Morgan, J. T. and Lewis, D. 1964. Protein and energy nutrition of the bacon pig. 1. The effect of varying protein and energy levels in the diet of growing pigs. J. agric. Set, Camb. 62: 369376.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Townsley, R. 1968. Derivation of optimal livestock rations using quadratic programming. J. agric. Econ. 19: 347354.CrossRefGoogle Scholar