Table 3.
The effect of three HC and sex on pig fate in grow-finish pigs raised under commercial conditions1
| Item | HC2 | Sex3 | Pooled SEM | P value4 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LCh | MCh | HCh | Barrows | Mixed | Gilts | HC | Sex | ||
| No. pens | 36 | 30 | 36 | 44 | 12 | 46 | |||
| No. pigs | 911 | 756 | 885 | 1095 | 304 | 1153 | |||
| Full-value5, % | 89.2a | 80.5b | 70.6c | 80.1 | 83.4 | 80.2 | 2.6 | <0.001 | 0.496 |
| Light cull5, % | 4.2 | 6.9 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 5.6 | 1.4 | 0.061 | 0.168 |
| Mortality5, % | 3.3a | 7.7b | 19.9c | 10.1 | 6.4 | 8.3 | 1.9 | <0.001 | 0.181 |
| Morbidity5, % | 3.1 | 5.0 | 6.5 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 0.079 | 0.836 |
a–c within a row, least square means lacking a common superscript differ, P <0.05.
1Three 1,000 pig grow-finish facilities, located on the same production site in Iowa, were each populated with 936 crossbred pigs (Cambrough female [PIC 1050] × DNA600 terminal sire); this study did not start until approximately 34 d post weaning (13.1 ± 0.2 kg of BW). Pigs remained on test until achieving marketing BW (130.5 ± 1.4 kg).
2Least square means of HC.
3Least square means of sex.
4Probability values for main effects of HC or sex.
5Average start body weight used as a covariate.