Sexual Maturation, Growth and Carcass Performance in Gilts

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Abstract
The aims of the present study were to investigate the relationship between sexual maturation, growth and carcass performance in gilts. The incidence of malformations of the genital organs at slaughter was also recorded. The study included 360 Swedish Yorkshire gilts slaughtered at 102 kg live weight from a selection experiment for lean tissue growth rate. Of the 325 gilts used in the analysis of carcass performance, 164 were immature, 104 prepuberal and 57 sexually mature according to their ovarian morphology. No significant differences in growth rate were found between the groups. The carcasses of the immature gilts had a significantly greater lean content, regardless of the measurement method used, than the carcasses of the sexually mature gilts. The carcasses of the prepuberal gilts ranked between these two groups. Malformations of the genital tracts were found in 51 gilts (14%).