Improvement of lowly heritable traits is difficult, efforts must be made to take full advantage of the available information sources to improve them. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of the size of the litter in which the sow was born on her lifetime reproductive performance. Data on 22,683 litters were used to analyse the lifetime reproductive performance of 5623 Polish Large White sows. The sows from small litters (≤9) were on average the oldest at first farrowing, had the shortest herd life, the smallest number of litters, and the smallest sized litters (p ≤ 0.01). A positive relationship was established between the mean number of offspring born per litter and size of the litter in which the sow was born (p ≤ 0.01). For a sow to produce at least seven piglets per 100 days of reproduction, gilts from litters of at least 12 piglets should be selected for breeding.
<b>The aim of the study was to determine the effect of arginine-supplemented diets fed to growing pigs on fattening and carcass traits. During the fattening period (30 kg to approx. 117 kg), 40 crossbred PL x PLW pigs (barrows : gilts – 1:1) were fed in a two-stage system with feed supplemented with a 0.5% addition of arginine (experimental group E – 20 pigs) or without added arginine (control group C – 20 pigs). Daily weight gains were monitored, and post mortem cold carcass weight, dressing percentage, lean meat percentage, weight of the ham (without feet and knuckles), and weight of the quadriceps femoris muscle were determined. The daily weight gains of E and C pigs were comparable. The carcasses of E pigs had higher meat content (P = 0.006) and higher ham weight than the control pigs (difference of 0.8 kg). Moreover, a larger share of ham was confirmed in the half-carcasses from group E vs C (P ≤ 0.05). The weight of the quadriceps femoris muscle was 31% higher in the experimental group than in the control (P = 0.001). Enrichment of the diets with arginine had a beneficial effect on the carcass characteristics. The increased weight of the quadriceps femoris muscle and its larger share of the ham and in the half-carcass of experimental pigs relative to the control are important characteristics in processing.</b>
Duckweed is a plant with high phytoremediation abilities, which is why it is used in the process of cleaning the aquatic environment. The present study aimed to determine the effect of various concentrations of pig slurry added to the growth media used to produce duckweed (Lemna minor) (laboratory Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW) (experimental groups 1–9, pig slurry concentration (%): 1—2.00, 2—1.50, 3—1.00, 4—0.75, 5—0.50, 6—0.25, 7—0.12, 8—0.06, 9—0.03, control group 0—0.00). The contents of nutrients in the growth media could be classified as high (gr. 1–3), optimal (gr. 4–6), and deficient (gr. 7–9). Analyses were conducted for duckweed yield and growth medium parameters (pig slurry concentration, pH, salinity, temperature, TDS, and EC) on days 0, 10, 20, and 30 of the experiment. No growth or poor growth of duckweed were noted in groups 1, 6–9, and 0. In turn, satisfactory yields of duckweed green mass were recorded in groups 3–5, which allowed choosing them for further observations and analyses, including proximate composition (including protein content); contents of Ca, Mg, K, Na, Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Al, Cr, and α-tocopherol; and carotenoids—β-carotene, α-carotene, violaxanthin, zeaxanthin, lutein, amino acids, fatty acids as well as N-NH4 and N-NO3. The plant material had an acceptable proximate composition and nutritionally safe analyzed component contents. Appropriate, stable growth medium conditions allowed the production of satisfactory duckweed yields. The study results allowed us to conclude that it is feasible to obtain feed material meeting basic quality standards by maintaining a closed circuit of duckweed culture, and use in the agricultural environment is possible through harnessing pig slurry for its production and ensuring its optimal growth conditions.
Abstract The study objective was to evaluate the impact of different contributions of pea ( Pisum sativum ) cultivar Hubal and blue lupin ( Lupinus angustifolius ) cultivar Regent on the level of selected bioactive substances in pork meat. One hundred three cross-breed piglets: ♀ (Landrace × Yorkshire) × ♂ Duroc were used. Two experiments were performed, in which pea seeds (experiment I: E1 – 5.0% pea seeds; E2 – 10.0% pea seeds; E3 – 15.0% pea seeds; E4 – 17.5% pea seeds) and blue lupin seeds (experiment II; D1 – 5.0% blue lupin seeds; D2 – 10.0% blue lupin seeds; D3 – 15.0% blue lupin seeds D4 – 17.5% blue lupin seeds) were used instead of genetically modified soybean meal (SBM-GM). In each of the experiments 50 animals were divided into 5 groups (control – C, and four experimentals), placed in group pens, each for 10 individuals (sex ratio barrows : gilts – 1:1). The animals were weighed and tagged before the experiments. The initial body weight of the pigs at experiment I and II commencement was: 26.7 and 33.5 kg, and at the end of the experiments: 122.0 and 124.0, respectively. In the first experiment (progressive pea “seeds” contribution) the concentration of carnosine was shown to be higher in E4 than E3 and C by 47.3% and 94.2%, respectively. In comparison with group C, the Q10 coenzyme content in groups E1, E2, E3 and E4 was lower by 40.9%, 56.8%, 40.9% and 65.9% respectively. In the experiment II (progressive lupin “seeds” contribution) increased content of all of the investigated bioactive substances was recorded in groups D1-D3 vs C. Significant differences between groups C, D2, D4 for taurine (P≤0.05; P≤0.01) and creatine (P≤0.05) have been recorded. The content of bioactive substances in the longissimus lumborum muscle was significantly influenced by legumes, which increased the level of bioactive components of protein fraction. Therefore, it can be concluded that pea ( Pisum sativum ) cultivar Hubal and blue lupin ( Lupinus angustifolius ) cultivar Regent are an alternative to SBM-GM, increasing the nutritional value of pork meat.
Abstract This study aimed to determine the composition of the fecal microflora of pigs fed with feed mixtures containing pulses and meals. Two experiments were performed with growing pigs. In their feed mixtures, GM soybean meal was replaced with either peas or blue lupine, and the modified mixtures were further fortified with rapeseed meal. Three-breed piglets were used in the study: ♀ (landrace × yorkshire) × ♂ duroc, (100 pigs in total, sex ratio: barrows : gilts - 1:1). Each experiment was performed with 50 animals divided into 5 groups, each of 10 pigs (control group - C and experimental groups - E1, E2, E3, E4). Population numbers of bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae and Lactobacillus families, as well as from the genera Clostridium spp. , Shigella spp. , and Salmonella spp. were determined with the deep inoculation method ( Clostridium ) and the surface inoculation method (the other microorganisms tested) in serially-diluted samples of feces collected from the rectum of slaughtered fatteners. The number of bacteria was presented per feces dry matter, and the final result was expressed as colony forming units (cfu) per 1 g of feces. Analyses conducted in the experiment demonstrated an increased count of Lactobacillus spp. bacteria, a decreased count of Enterobacteriaceae bacteria, a stable population number of Clostridium spp. bacteria, and no Salmonella in the fatteners, administered feed mixtures with legume seeds, compared to the control animals. Shigella bacilli were confirmed in fecal samples taken from three experimental groups in Experiment II, while they were absent in the feces of animals from Experiment I. In both experiments, the correct ratio of villi and crypts was found, ensuring adequate intestinal absorption surface. The study results suggest that pulses, including legume grains like blue lupine, can positively affect the enteric microflora, promote the proliferation of bacteria beneficial for the host and promote the proper development of villi and crypts.
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