Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-1993

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Animal Science

Major Professor

F.B. Masincupp

Committee Members

John P. Hitchcock, Glenn Conatser

Abstract

Data from 3,456 litters from three farrow to finish production systems were collected over a ten year period. The systems included a low investment pasture system (SYS I), an intermediate investment system that included a central farrowing house and pasture finishing (SYS II) and a high investment confinement system (SYS III). Sows in SYS III farrowed fewer pigs alive (NBA) than those in SYS I (9.72 vs 10.17, p < .02) or those in SYS II (9.97, p < .09). In addition pigs born in SYS I were heavier at birth (BWT) than pigs born in SYS II, p < .002 and SYS III, p < .001. The adjusted 56 day weaning weights (ADJ56D) for pigs in SYSI and SYSII were 33.25 and 29.88 respectively. Pigs in SYS I had heavier ADJ56D than those in SYSII, p < .05). As well, sows in SYS I were heavier after weaning than those in SYS II. (p < .05). Hogs finished in SYS II had lower average daily gains during the finishing phase (ADGFIN) than those finished in SYS I (1.31 vs 1.40, p < .05) and SYS II (1.47, p < .001). There was no difference between SYS I and SYS III. Feed efficiency during the finishing phase (FEFIN) for the three systems were 3.82, 4.00 and 3.50 for SYS I and SYS III respectively. Hogs finished in SYS III required less feed per pound of gain than those finished in SYS I (p < .05) or SYS II (p < .001). There was no difference between SYS I and SYS II. System II required more feed to produce a pound of market weight hog than SYS I (4.90 vs 4.35, p < .08) or SYS III (4.90 vs 3.98, p < .004). Pounds of pork per ton of feed for systems I, II and III was 477.94, 453.95 and 524.03 respectively. System III required less feed to produce a pound of pork than SYS I (P < .08) or SYS II (p < .001). The analysis of the variance components revealed that with the exception of sow parity where SYS III had more variation than SYS I or SYS II, p < .001, and number of market hogs produced per litter (NPROD) where SYS I had very little variation, there was more variation among litters within system (VAR(LITTER)) than among farrowing groups within system (VAR(GROUP)). VAR(LITTER) for SYS III was greater for number of pigs born alive per litter (NB) than NB in SYS I or SYS II, (p < .001). VAR(LITTER) for number of pigs born alive per litter (NBA) was quite variable among the systems with SYS II having the least, SYS III the most and SYS I as the intermediate. SYS II also had the least VAR(LITTER) among the systems for birth weight (BWT). SYS I had the most VAR(LITTER) among the systems for number of pigs weaned per litter (NW) and SYS III was the least variable. SYS I had higher VAR(LITTER) for ADJ56D than SYS II but had a lower VAR(GROUP) for ADJ56D than SYS II. In addition, whole herd feed efficiency as measured by total pounds of feed per total pounds of pork marketed favored SYS III (3.83) over SYS I (4.20) and SYS II (4.40). The results from this study indicated that these systems were very comparable in terms of sow production per litter. However, SYS III exhibited a substantial advantage in whole herd feed efficiency over the other systems.

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