The Growth of Duroc Suckling Pigs Raised in Drylot

Abstract

The birth wts. and weekly live wts. of 1296 suckling Duroc pigs from 191 litters were used to construct a reference growth curve. These represent all litters produced over a 3-yr. period in gestation-lactation nutrition studies. The sows were managed in either dirt drylot or in concrete lots during gestation and on concrete during lactation. The sow''s rations met the N.R.C. nutritional allowances (1950). The avg. wts. from birth and weekly to 8 weeks of age were 2.8, 5.0, 7.8, 10.7, 13.4, 15.9, 19.0, 23.0 and 28.1 lbs. A study of the birth and weekly live wts. of nursing pigs classified as light, medium or heavy at weaning (8 weeks of age) indicated that the pigs which were lighter at weaning time were lighter at birth and they made smaller weekly gains both in absolute amts. and as fractions of their birth wts., than the heavier pigs at weaning. The correlation of 0.46 between weaning wt. and birth wt. was highly significant (P = 0.01). On the avg., a difference of 1 lb. in wt. at birth was accompanied by 7.78 lbs. difference at weaning (56 days).