Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary metabolisable energy (ME: 3.25, 3.40, 3.55, or 3.70 Mcal kg−1) and weaning weight (WW: light 4.0±0.7 kg, and heavy: 6.3±0.6 kg) on productive response and energy utilization of weaned piglets. Sixty-four male piglets were housed in 32 metabolic cages (two animals per cage) during the first 14 d postweaning. At day 15, only one animal per cage was kept until day 28. Body composition, energy, and nutrient deposition rates and energy utilization efficiency were measured through a comparative slaughter procedure. Piglets with light WW had a poorer feed conversion ratio and lower weight gain and feed intake when expressed per live weight. Increased ME led to greater daily fat deposition in the empty bodies (defined as weighted mean of the carcass + organs + blood, no intestinal content), while light WW piglets had a reduced protein deposition. Light WW piglets increased heat production with increased ME, but no effect was seen for the heavy WW piglets. By contrast, heavy WW piglets increased empty body gross energy as ME increased, while no influence was observed on light WW piglets. Increasing dietary energy levels did not contribute to the subsequent growth performance of piglets that were lighter at weaning. The lack of interaction between weaning weight and dietary ME content on growth performance does not support the hypothesis that light piglets at weaning do not exhibit compensatory growth because of limitations in energy intake.
Highlights
It is generally assumed that the young pig up to about 70 kg body weight (BW) displays a limited physical capacity to ingest nutrients (Quiniou et al, 2000), and will respond to increases in dietary energy concentration with an increase in growth rate during an energy-dependent phase of growth
There was no significant interaction between dietary metabolisable energy (ME) and weaning weight for any of the evaluated growth performance responses (Table 2)
The regression analysis shows that Dry matter (DM) was increased, in carcasses of heavy piglets, as ME increased (P
Summary
It is generally assumed that the young pig up to about 70 kg body weight (BW) displays a limited physical capacity to ingest nutrients (Quiniou et al, 2000), and will respond to increases in dietary energy concentration with an increase in growth rate during an energy-dependent phase of growth. This phase is believed to extend up to 90 kg BW; the greatest limitation to ingest nutrients occurs in weaned pigs up to about 25 kg BW (Campbell, 1987; Whittemore, 1993). This lack of compensatory growth is because of a combination of factors that compromise the ability of those piglets to reach the same performance results compared with piglets weaned at heavier weights
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
