Genetics and Protein Gain
Growth performance can be determined by genetics. Swine can be categorized as slow growers and fast growers. They may be slow or fast growing breeds (boars, barrows, gilts, and sows together), or they may be slow or fast growing kinds (as in, boars are fast growing compared to sows, within the same breed.) These graphs apply in either case.
Fast growers (red) gain protein faster than slow growers (yellow). In addition, the fast growers' protein gain does not plateau; they keep gaining protein.
Copyright ©1997 by the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary
Medicine
Faculty: Dr. Paul Pitcher
Student: Sandra Springer,'99