Effect of soaking the meal ration of growing pigs in water or skim milk

Abstract

1. Thirty-two individually-fed pigs were used to determine the effects of soaking their daily meal ration in either water or in liquid skim milk and water for approximately 24 hr. before feeding. The experimental period continued from about 10 weeks of age to bacon weight. 2. Neither soaking procedure had any significant effect on the rate of growth, efficiency of food utilisation, dressing percentage, carcass length, backfat thickness or commercial grading results of the pigs. 3. The growth rate and efficiency of food utilisation of the pigs given meal plus skim milk were significantly better than for those given the all meal diet. The dressing percentage of the former was also significantly higher than the latter, but there were no significant differences between the two groups in carcass length or backfat thickness. 4. Possible reasons for the difference in performance of the all meal and meal plus skim milk-fed pigs are discussed.