The effect of a submaintenance diet on the composition of the pig

Abstract

Five inbred Large Whites from the same strain as used by McMeekan (1940) were reared on a High Plane of nutrition to approximately 330 lb. live weight at which one was killed as a control. The rest were put on to a submaintenance diet of straw and water and killed successively at roughly equal intervals in live weight between 330 and 200 lb. The weights of blood, organs and offals were determined and the carcasses were jointed and completely dissected into their constituent tissues. The total weights of each and the weights within the various joints were recorded.(1) Organs. The early-maturing organs, brain, eyes, etc., continued to grow. Other organs like the heart, liver, lungs, etc., suffered a greater or less degree of atrophy which was probably determined by a suspension of their functions.(2) Carcass composition. The tissues of the carcass were affected in reverse order to their development, i.e. fat most, muscle less and bone least. Bone continued to grow in the earlier stages of submaintenance.

Effect of Feeding-Fasting Interval on Finishing Pigs: Weight Gain, Feed Utilization and Physical and Chemical Carcass Measurements

“…Increasing the severity of restriction influenced both layers similarly, since there were no significant differences between the two layers when analyzed for each fatty acid across treatments. This is in dis- agreement with the statements by McMeekan (1940a, b) and Pomeroy (1941) that the middle layer of backfat is more sensitive to a low plane of nutrition than the outer layer.…”

Effects of severe food restriction on growth rate, muscle distribution and muscle: bone ratio in pigs

“…This is concordant with the findings of Elsley et al (1964) and of Carden & Goenaga (1977). Apparently, the muscle:bone ratio remains fairly constant under different nutritional conditions unless they are extremely severe, as in Pomeroy's (1941) experiment, when the pigs were losing weight.…”

The effects of level of feeding of sows during pregnancy. III. Body composition

“…The differences in the weights of perirenal fat are in general agreement with the values for subcutaneous fat although, owing to the slower mobilization of perirenal fat (Pomeroy, 1941), the difference between the Low and the Low-High group of sows is greater than in the case of subcutaneous fat. The differences in the weights of perirenal fat are in general agreement with the values for subcutaneous fat although, owing to the slower mobilization of perirenal fat (Pomeroy, 1941), the difference between the Low and the Low-High group of sows is greater than in the case of subcutaneous fat.…”