RESEARCH IN PIG BREEDING, 11, 2017 (2)

AN INFLUENCE OF BIRTH WEIGHT OF PIGLETS ON FEEDING QUALITY AND CARCASS VALUE

Sládek L., Mikule V.

Mendel University in Brno, Department of Animal Breeding, Czech Republic

Abstract

The aim of an experiment was to find out an influence of birth weight of piglets on indicators of feeding quality and carcass value in tested hybrid combination (CLW x CL) x D. These data were determined in experiment: birth weight of piglets, weaning weight of piglets, average daily gain from birth till slaughter, weight of carcass modified body, slaughter weight of carcass pigs, depth of muscle, back fat thickness, meatiness of carcass modified body. Five groups according to weight were created to find out an influence of birth weight of piglets on feeding quality and carcass value: lesser than 1.00 kg, 1.10 – 1.20 kg, 1.30 – 1.50 kg, 1.60 – 1.80 kg and bigger than 1.80 kg.

Birth weight of piglets of hybrid combination (CLW x CL) x D was 1.47 kg. Statistically conclusive (P≤0.01) higher birth weight (1.51 kg) was reached by boars compared to gilts (1.42 kg). Piglets with lower birth weight reached lower weaning weight, weight of modified carcass body and lower growth ability (daily gain from birth till slaughter) in comparison with piglets with higher birth weight.

The lowest back fat thickness (12.01 mm) was reached in a group of pigs with birth weight 1.10 – 1.20 kg and similar level (12.03 mm) was reached in a group with birth weight higher than 1.80 kg. The highest back fat thickness (13.3 mm) was reached by pigs with birth weight lower than 1.00 kg. The highest average meatiness (58.17 %) or rather (58.12 %) was found out in carcass pigs with birth weight in range 1.60 – 1.80 kg or rather 1.30 – 1.50 kg. Contrarily the lowest meatiness 57.62 % was found out in pigs with the lowest birth weight lesser than 1.00 kg.

Key Words: Birth weight of piglets, weaning weight of piglets, feeding quality, carcass value