Effects of Dietary Protein Level and Environmental Temperature on Performance and Carcass Quality of Growing-Finishing Swine

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Abstract
Three experiments involving 288 pigs fed from 3 weeks of age to 200 lb. were conducted to study protein and environmental temperature relationships. Two levels of protein were fed in each experiment. Two experiments were conducted in the winter and one in the summer. There was a significant interaction between the effects of protein and temperature on feed required per pound of gain for the period from 3 weeks of age to 110 Ib. in the summer experiment and for the entire experimental period in the final winter experiment. There was a significant interaction between the effects of protein and temperature on the percentage of lean cuts in the final winter experiment. Pigs fed a high level of protein (20, 17, 14%) grew significantly faster and yielded carcasses containing a higher percent of lean cuts and significantly less carcass backfat, as compared with pigs fed low protein (16, 13, 10%) in each of the experiments. Pigs fed a high level of protein required significantly less feed per pound of gain from 120 Ib. to 200 Ib. for the first winter experiment and for the entire experimental period for the other experiments. Pigs housed in 60° F. temperatures grew significantly faster than pigs in 90° F. temperatures in the summer experiment. Pigs housed at 36° F. required significantly more feed per unit of gain than those at 60° F., and those housed at 60° F. required slightly more feed per unit of gain than those raised at 90° F. Copyright © 1964. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1964 by American Society of Animal Science