Effect of production system (organic vs. conventional) and roughage supplementation in diet on performance of growing-finishing Krškopolje pigs

Abstract

Performance of Krskopolje pigs in conventional and organic production system was investigated in project TREASURE. Thirty-six castrates were assigned (at app. 70 kg) to 3 treatment groups (TG): organic (ECO), conventional (CON) and conventional with lucerne supplementation (CON+L). CON (n=12) and CON+L (n=12) were housed indoors, while ECO (n=12) pigs were housed in a pen with an outdoor access. Two barley based diets were composed; organic for ECO (12.4 MJ ME, 12.9% CP, 0.7% Lys) and conventional (12.7 MJ ME, 13.6% CP, 1.2 % Lys) for CON and CON+L and distributed in equal quantities (app. 3.4 kg per pig) to CON and ECO whereas CON+L were offered 10% less feed. ECO and CON+L were supplemented with lucerne hay or pellets, respectively. After 73 days on trial, CON+L pigs had 11% lower (P=0.148) average daily gain (ADG) and ECO had 13% higher (P= 0.097) ADG than CON pigs. ECO pigs had less variation in body weight at the end of the trial. Backfat thickness gain was 0.28 vs. 0.32 and 0.36 mm/day for CON+L, CON and ECO, respectively (P=0.083). Feed conversion ratio was comparable in CON and CON+L (4.90 vs. 4.91 kg feed/kg gain).