Effect of maternal feed intake during mid-gestation on pig performance and meat quality at slaughter

A study was conducted to evaluate, under commercial conditions, the effect of a high feed intake during mid-gestation on postnatal growth performance and meat quality of the progeny. Sows from 1 to 7 parities were divided into two treatments, control (C) and experimental (E). C sows received 3.0 kg/day (12 MJ of ME/kg) througout all gestation and E sows (E) received +50% and +75% extra feed from 45 to 85 days of gestation for first-parity and multiparous sows, respectively. This treatment (T) was applied thoughout two reproductive cycles (2 replicates; n=103 sows in replicate 1 and n=96 in replicate 2). The offspring (barrows) were divided in 5 weight groups (WG) and reared conventionally throughout nursery (n=958) and growing-finishing (n=636) periods. During the nursery period, E pigs exhibited higher growth rates (ADG) than C group (333 g/d vs 316 g/d, p<0.05) in replicate 1 and a higher feed efficiency (G:F) than C group (0.48 vs 0.47, p<0.05) in replicate 2. However, this differences disappeared in the growing-finishing period. The pigs of the lightest weight groups seemed to be the most benefited by the additional maternal feed allowance. At slaughter, E pigs in replicate 1 showed a higher carcass and ham weight. These pigs also showed a higher pH at 24 hours postmortem in the semimembranosus muscle and lower lightness values in the longissimus muscle than C pigs, and this fact was consistent in both replicates. Overall, increasing feed allowance from 45 to 85 days of gestation had slight effects on growth performance and lead to differences on meat quality traits at market weight.