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Bulletin No. 22 - Summer 2005
MiscelleanousProduction
O’CONNELL N
Reducing variability in weight of pigs.
Pig Progress, 2005, Volume 21, N°2, 26-27
The benefits of sorting pigs into even-weight groups (heavy/medium/small pigs) either at weaning or at the start of the finishing period was investigated. While sorting pigs at weaning did not bring any benefit, sorting them at the start of the finishing period allowed to reduce weight-range at slaughter by 7kg compared to the control mixed group. Heavy pigs reached slaughter weight at 20 weeks of age, medium pigs at 21 weeks, small pigs at 22 weeks and mixed pigs at 21 weeks. Thus, a reduction of the time to reach the target slaughter weight by one week was achieved in heavy pigs and more uniform groups at slaughter were obtained which facilitates the processing of carcasses.
