Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #132088
Title: EFFECT OF DIFFERENCES IN PATTERN OF PREPUBERTAL GROWTH ON RESPONSE TO REALIMENTATION: RELATIONSHIPS TO REPRODUCTIVE DEVELOPMENT

Author
item Klindt, John
item Yen, Jong Tseng
item Christenson, Ronald

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/11/2002
Publication Date: 7/24/2002
Citation: Klindt, J., Yen, J.T., Christenson, R.K. 2002. Effect of differences in pattern of prepubertal growth on response to realimentation: Relationships to reproductive development [abstract]. Journal of Animal Science. 80(Suppl. 1):152.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Our previous work (Klindt et al., 2001, J. Anim. Sci. 79:2513) showed an inverse relationship between feed consumed during development and feed consumed during breeding in gilts subjected to feed restriction during development, 1/2 to 7/8 ad lib, and given ad libitum access to feed during breeding. Age at first estrus was least in the 1/2 ad lib gilts, possibly due to increased feed consumption during breeding. The current study sought to replicate the feed intakes of gilts in the previous study and measure the effect on physiological responses. Crossbred white gilts, 90.3 ± 0.5 d of age, 38.2 ± 0.7 kg BW, were assigned to receive 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, or 7/8 of calculated ad libitum feed intake (24 gilts/dietary treatment, TRT) for 12 wk. After the restriction period, all gilts were fed quantities of feed similar to those consumed by similar gilts given ad libitum access to feed in group pens previously. During realimentation, average daily feed intake (ADFI) was 3.03 ± 0.06, 2.76 ± 0.08, 2.40 ± 0.07, and 2.31 ± 0.08 kg/d by gilts in the 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, and 7/8 TRT groups, respectively. On d 0, 7, 14, and 21 of realimentation, gilts were slaughtered and wts of offal and carcass components were recorded. Blood samples were collected from the gilts during the last wk of the restriction period and during realimentation for assay of serum urea, glucose, insulin, and IGF-I. Urea, glucose, insulin, and IGF-I were influenced (P < 0.03) by the interaction of TRT×wk of realimentation. Slaughter and carcass wts were influenced (P < 0.01) by the main effects of TRT and wk. Of the offal components, only liver and small intestine were influenced (P < 0.02) by TRT×k. It is concluded that increased feed intake by the more severely restricted gilts during the early part of breeding/realimentation period allowed those gilts to exhibit compensatory gains, had effect on liver and small intestine wts, and stimulated acceleration of onset of first estrus in the most severely restricted gilts.