Increasing ractopamine levels in finisher pig diets improves growth performance in light, medium and heavy boars
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
2009
Conference Title
Twelfth Biennial Conference of the Australasian Pig Science Association
Place of Publication
Cairns
ISBN
978-0-9806880-0-9
ISSN
1324 9177
Keywords
pigs, swine, nutrition
Disciplines
Animal Sciences | Meat Science
Abstract
Ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC; Paylean®, Elanco Animal Health, Macquarie Park, NSW) is an approved β-agonist used to improve the production efficiency of pigs. A recent dose-response study in gilts indicated that average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and hot standard carcase weight (HSCW) increased in a linear manner to dietary RAC up to at least 20 ppm, and that responses were similar regardless of starting weight between 65 and 95 kg (Rikard-Bell et al., 2007). There has been little research on the responses of intact males (boars) to dietary RAC or how the responses might be affected by starting weight. The objective of this study was to determine the dose response to RAC in light, medium and heavy-weight boars.
Recommended Citation
Rikard-Bell, C V,
Pluske, J R,
Szabo, C,
van Barneveld, R J,
Mullan, B P,
Edwards, A C,
Gannon, N J,
Henman, D J,
and
Dunshea, F R.
(2009), Increasing ractopamine levels in finisher pig diets improves growth performance in light, medium and heavy boars, Twelfth Biennial Conference of the Australasian Pig Science Association, Cairns, pp.69-69.
https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/conf_papers/138
