The effect of birth weight on the estimated milk intake, growth and body composition of sow-reared piglets

Abstract

ABSTRACTTen littermate pairs were used to study the effects of light and heavy birth weight on the development of muscle tissue, growth rate, body composition and the estimated milk consumption of piglets reared on the sow to 6·5 kg live weight.Neither average daily gain to 6·5 kg nor body composition at the latter weight were significantly affected by birth weight. Birth weight also had no effect on the weight or deoxyribonucleic acid content of the semitendinosus musde at 6·5kg. However, pigs of hght birth weight -were lighter at 2\ days of age (P < 0·01) and older at 65 kg (P < 0·01) than those of heavy birth weight.Pigs of heavy birth weight consumed more milk per suckle than their lighter birth weight littermates (P < 0·01). However, the relative milk consumption (g/kg live weight) of both groups was similar.