Swine Biology: Gender and Growth Performance
Remember: Growth Performance is measured by feed intake, growth rate, and carcass leanness.
| Growth Performance |
Boars |
Gilts |
Barrows |
| Feed Intake |
+ |
++ |
+++ |
| Growth Rate |
+++ |
+ |
++ |
| Carcass Leanness |
+++ |
++ |
+ |
Q While
Boars have the fastest growth rate and the leanest carcasses, they also
have the
Q While barrows have the most
feed intake, they have the
Q If you thought you wanted
to even out the feed intake and carcass leaness results, you may be pleased
to see more gilts in your herd. Unfortunately, gilts have the
Q Boars have the fastest growth
rate and leanest carcasses while eating the least feed. This means they
have the best growth performance.
Why, then, do American producers castrate their male pigs (making them
barrows?) A
Copyright ©1997 by the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary
Medicine
Faculty: Dr. Paul Pitcher
Student: Sandra Springer,'99