Effects of Cold Exposure on Growing Pigs: Growth, Body Composition and 17-Ketosteroids

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Abstract
Eight male Yorkshire × Lacombe piglets weeks old and averaging 7.96 kg body weight were allotted to two temperature treatments, i.e., optimum, 20 C, with 35% relative humidity; and cold, 2 C, with 50% relative humidity. Both groups of piglets were fed the same diet to supply 320 kcal × W.75kg of M.E./day. Total urine voided during a 24-hr. period was collected and assayed for content of 17-ketosteroids. After 12 weeks on the above treatments, animals were slaughtered, body measurements recorded, carcasses ground and mixed and samples analyzed for nitrogen, fat, crude fiber, calcium and phosphorus. Carcasses of the pigs housed at 2 C contained less (P<.05) fat and a lower (P<.01) gross energy concentration. The percent moisture and the percent protein were both significantly greater (P<.05) in the carcasses of the cold-exposed pigs. The cold-exposed pig had smaller weight of liver (P<.01), testes (P<.01), epididymides (P<.05) and bulbourethal glands (P<.05) with a average daily gain of 240 g as compared to 486 g for the controls. Cold-exposed pigs produced significantly less (P<.05) total 17-ketosteroids when compared to pigs housed at 20 C. These results prove that cold exposure during the prepuberal phase of the life cycle can retard growth of the testes in the young male pig. Copyright © 1973. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1973 by American Society of Animal Science.

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