Effect of conventional and deep litter housing on pig growth performance and carcass characteristics
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
2005
Conference Title
Tenth Biennial Conference of the Australasian Pig Science Association
Place of Publication
Christchurch
ISBN
978-0-9806880-4-7
ISSN
1324-9177
Keywords
pigs, swine
Disciplines
Meat Science
Abstract
Anecdotal observations suggest that pigs raised in deep litter systems are fatter than pigs raised in conventional systems. To manage fat deposition in pigs, some producers wean pigs into deep litter and then at about 13 weeks of age move the animals into conventional facilities for finishing. Differences in growth and carcass quality have been reported between pigs raised outdoors and conventionally (Gentry et al., 2002). We would expect the physical and thermal differences between conventional and deep litter housing systems to affect the partitioning of energy for lean and fat deposition during growth. In this study we hypothesised that growth performance and carcass composition would differ for pigs housed conventionally or on deep litter.
Recommended Citation
Trezona, M,
Mullan, B P,
Pluske, J R,
Pethick, D W,
and
D'Souza, D N.
(2005), Effect of conventional and deep litter housing on pig growth performance and carcass characteristics, Tenth Biennial Conference of the Australasian Pig Science Association, Christchurch, pp.276-276.
https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/conf_papers/196
