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Considerations on the performance of immunocastrated male pigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

Sam Millet ,
Kwinten Gielkens ,
Daniël De Brabander  and
Geert P. J. Janssens
Sam Millet*
Affiliation:
Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Animal Sciences Unit, Scheldeweg 68, 9090 Melle, Belgium
Kwinten Gielkens
Affiliation:
Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Animal Sciences Unit, Scheldeweg 68, 9090 Melle, Belgium Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Nutrition, Genetics, Breeding and Ethology, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
Daniël De Brabander
Affiliation:
Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Animal Sciences Unit, Scheldeweg 68, 9090 Melle, Belgium
Geert P. J. Janssens
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Nutrition, Genetics, Breeding and Ethology, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
*
†E-mail: sam.millet@ilvo.vlaanderen.be
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Abstract

With the ongoing social pressure on surgical castration of pigs, an increase in the population of pigs that are either not castrated or immunocastrated (IC) can be expected. In both cases, their nutrient requirements and performance will differ from surgically castrated pigs and will require changes in their management. Immunocastration is performed by giving two injections of a modified gonadotrophin-releasing hormone component along with an adjuvant, at least 4 weeks apart. This paper describes the reported differences in growth performance and carcass quality of IC male pigs in comparison with boars (BO) and barrows (BA). Theoretically, IC pigs remain physiologically boar until the second vaccination and therefore, growth may be comparable with BO until this second vaccination. From then on, IC male pigs consume more feed than BO and grow faster when fed ad libitum. IC showed a faster growth and better feed conversion ratio than BA. When fed restrictedly, BO grow faster and more efficiently than BA and IC. IC have a lower carcass yield than BA and BO, whereas meat percentage is intermediate.

Keywords

boarscarcass qualityimmunocastrationperformanceproductive traits
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 5 , Issue 7 , 31 May 2011 , pp. 1119 - 1123
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2011

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