Performance and plasma urea nitrogen of immunocastrated males pigs of medium genetic potential

Performance and plasma urea nitrogen of immunocastrated males pigs of medium genetic potential

ABSTRACT

Objective. A study was carried out to evaluate the performance and the plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) of male pigs of medium genetic potential for lean meat deposition in carcass, which underwent immunocastration. Materials and methods. Forty-five seventy-days old Large White x Landrace crossbred were used. The pigs were distributed in a randomized design in three treatments: castrated males, females and immunocastrated males. Each treatment group was replicated three times with five pigs per replicate. The trial period was of 70 days, divided into phases of growing (70 to 110 days old) and finishing (111 to 140 days old). The pigs were weighed four times: at the beginning of the trial, at the first immunocastration vaccine dose (80 days old), at the second immunocastration vaccine dose (110 days old) and just before slaughter (140 days old). Blood samples were taken on the same day that the animals were weighed. Results. Between 80 and 110 days old, there was an increase in PUN value, only for castrated males and females. No differences were found in weight gain between the studied groups within the periods. Immunocastrated males had lower feed intake than females and these had a lower feed intake than castrated males. To 110 days old, immunocastrated animals showed feed conversion ratio similar to females and better than castrated males. However, after the second dose of the vaccine, feed conversion was similar between groups. Conclusions. The benefits of immunocastration are prominent in animals with low to medium genetic potential.

RESUMEN

Objetivo. Se realizó un estudio para evaluar el rendimiento y la concentración de urea en plasma (PUN) de los cerdos machos de medio potencial genético de carne magra en la canal sometidos a la inmunocastración. Materiales y métodos. Se utilizaron 45 cerdos de 70 días de edad Landrace x Large White. Los animales se distribuyeron en un diseño completamente al azar con tres tratamientos: machos castrados, hembras y machos inmunocastrados. Cada tratamiento consistió en tres repeticiones, con cinco animales por réplica. El período experimental fue de 70 días, divididos en las etapas de crecimiento (70 a 110 días de edad) y terminación (111 a 140 días de edad). Los cerdos fueron pesados cuatro veces: al inicio del experimento, en la primera dosis de vacuna de inmunocastración (80 días de edad), en la segunda dosis de la vacuna de inmunocastración (110 días de edad) y antes de el sacrificio (140 días de edad). Las muestras de sangre se recogieron en el mismo día en que se pesaron los animales. Resultados. Entre 80 y 110 días de edad, hubo un aumento en la cantidad de PUN, sólo para machos castrados y hembras. No hubo diferencias en la ganancia de peso entre los grupos en ninguno de los períodos estudiados. Machos inmunocastrados tuvieron menor consumo de alimento que las hembras y éstas mostraron un menor consumo que los machos castrados. En 110 días de edad, los animales inmunocastrados mostraron la conversión de alimento similar a las hembras y mejor que los machos castrados. Sin embargo, después de la segunda dosis de la vacuna, la conversión alimenticia fue similar entre los grupos. Conclusiones. Los beneficios de inmunocastración son prominentes en animales con bajo a médio potencial genético.

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