Influence of MHS genotype and feeding regime on allometric and temporal growth of pigs assessed by magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Abstract A total of 68 barrows, 4-way-crosses with a Pietrain × Hampshire sire and a Large White × German Landrace dam were used in this study. The pigs were divided into 4 groups regarding the MHS (malignant hyperthermia syndrome) genotype (NN and Nn) and feeding regime (intensive and restrictive). The piglets were genotyped by DNA test; data on muscle and fat growth were obtained by repeated measurements of body composition at 4 weeks intervals by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Differential growth analysis showed that muscle tissue grew proportionally with the increase of live weight (allometric coefficient, b ≈ 1); fat grew faster in relation to live weight ( b > 1) in all investigated groups of pigs. Significant differences in growth coefficients for fat were found only between feeding groups. The analysis by asymmetric S-function showed different patterns of live weight growth of pigs from two feeding regimes. Within the feeding regimes, no significant differences in live weight growth patterns between the pigs of different MHS genotype (NN and Nn) were found. Muscle growth pattern significantly differed between the groups of investigated pigs: Nn pigs from the intensive feeding group were significantly superior to NN pigs in the same group and to Nn pigs fed restrictively ( p b -coefficient of the S-function). In this respect Nn pigs performed better under intensive feeding than under restrictive feeding regime, while no difference was found between NN pigs from two feeding regimes. By combining information on live weight and muscle growth, the optimal slaughter weight of pigs was calculated: 130 and 126 kg for intensively fed NN and Nn pigs, respectively, and about 114 kg for both genotypes from the restricted group of pigs. From fat growth analysis by asymmetric S-function, no influence of genotype on fat deposition in both feeding systems could be observed. Growth patterns of fat differed significantly only between the feeding groups. This study showed that the growth of body components fits a sigmoid curve and that the asymmetric S-function proved to be a more accurate and informative model than a simple allometric function, providing a base for important decisions in fattening of pigs. A practical consequence of this study is that the more cost-effective restrictive feeding regime can be recommended as more appropriate in fattening of pigs, since intensive feeding generally failed to improve their growth traits. Similarly, inclusion of MHS-gene did not enhance muscle growth characteristics of investigated pigs, so MHS-negative pigs (NN) can be considered as more desirable fatteners, especially when fed restrictively.