Feed Intake Patterns in Crossbred Pigs and their Relationship to Production Traits
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Date
2006-12-06
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Abstract
The purpose of this research was to evaluate line and sex differences in swine feeding behavior traits. Barrows and gilts used in the study were from three sire lines and two dam lines. Data were provided by PIC in Franklin, KY. Feeding behavior traits considered were average daily feed intake (ADFI), average occupation time⁄day (AOTD), average feed intake⁄visit (AFIV), average number of visits⁄day (ANVD), average feeding rate⁄visit (AFRV), average occupation time⁄visit (AOTV), and residual average daily feed intake (RADFI). Electronic feeders were used to measure feeding behavior traits on two pens per feeder. Use of the feeder alternated between the two pens weekly. Feeding behavior traits differed by line and sex. Production traits that were used in the study included: average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), backfat (BF), loin depth (LD), percent lean (% LEAN), and average daily feed intake (ADFI). For this study, ADFI was treated as both a feeding behavior and performance trait. Feeding behavior traits were used to calculate principal components. Principal components were then treated as traits in terms of statistical analysis.
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principal components analysis, performance traits, feeding behavior, Pigs
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Degree
MS
Discipline
Animal Science
