| Abstrakt: |
Sixty-six Yorkshire pigs consisting of 21 boars, 22 barrows and 23 gilts were individually penned and fed a ration containing chromic oxide. Digestion coefficients for the total ration (GPT), the protein (GPP) and the fat (GPF) were calculated for each pig at three different weights. The pig's ability to digest the ration and its components was influenced significantly by the size (age) of the pig but not by sex. Significant litter effects were found for GPT and GPP but not for GPF. The intraclass correlations among full-sibs for GPT, GPP and GPF were .31, .27 and .14-, respectively. The correlations among GPT, GPP, GPF, feed efficiency, rate of gain and feed consumption indicate that fast growing pigs eat more feed per day, require less feed per unit of gain and have lower digestion coefficients for the complete ration, protein and fat. The correlations of backfat, longissimusmuscle measurements and ham and loin percentage with GPT, GPP and GPF indicate that the, pigs that have the highest percent muscle are the pigs that more completely digest and absorb the ration. |
