Selecting a pig strain for faster growth and measuring its improvement on different rations

Abstract

Pigs selected for growth on restricted feeding produce offspring which are profitable on both restricted and ad libitum feeding. After three generations of selective breeding for fast growth on restricted feeding, a line of pigs was grown on both restricted and on ad libitum feeding. On both levels of feeding, profitability was increased by about $6 per pig. On restricted feeding, most of the improvement came from an increase in carcase weight; and on ad libitum feeding, the improvement was mostly due to less fat and less wasted food.