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Table 3 Effect of birth weight class (A), weaning weight (B) class and starter regime on subsequent performance. Per batch birth weight (BiW, d 0) and weaning weight (WW, d 28) class were determined retrospectively by grouping piglets into 4 different classes (25%) using percentiles at birth and weaning. Class 1 represents the lightest piglets and class 4 the heaviest. At weaning pens were randomly allocated to one of the starter regimes (Diet): control (CTRL) vs. nutrient enriched starter regime (HIGH). Data are expressed as LSM ± SED

From: Once small always small? To what extent morphometric characteristics and post-weaning starter regime affect pig lifetime growth performance

A

Birth weight class

1

2

3

4

SED

Significance

Starter regime

CTRL

HIGH

CTRL

HIGH

CTRL

HIGH

CTRL

HIGH

BiW class

Diet

BiW class *Diet

 

Body weight1, kg

 d 0

1.02

1.37

1.58

1.87

0.001

< 0.001

–

–

 d 28

6.67a

6.01b

7.05

6.96

7.40

7.59

7.64b

8.09a

0.041

< 0.001

0.729

< 0.001

 d 48

14.1

13.6

14.6

14.5

14.9

15.0

15.4

15.3

0.039

< 0.001

0.312

0.139

 d 61

22.1

21.0

22.8

22.4

23.1

22.8

23.8

23.3

0.077

< 0.001

0.059

0.386

 d 97

42.5

40.6

44.6

43.7

44.6

44.7

44.8

45.1

0.197

< 0.001

0.514

0.369

Average daily gain, g/d

 d 0–28

186

202

213

218

0.413

< 0.001

–

–

 d 28–48

343

313

365

360

377

382

405

399

1.95

< 0.001

0.312

0.111

 d 48–61

586

547

611

584

611

582

622

593

3.00

< 0.001

0.036

0.993

 d 28–61

441

406

463

449

471

462

492

476

2.06

< 0.001

0.075

0.298

 d 61–97

580

552

615

590

606

609

606

620

3.04

< 0.001

0.520

0.302

B

Weaning weight class

1

2

3

4

SED

Significance

Starter regime

CTRL

HIGH

CTRL

HIGH

CTRL

HIGH

CTRL

HIGH

WW class

Diet

WW class *Diet

 

Body weight1, kg

 d 28

5.42

5.30

6.65

6.66

7.60

7.68

9.11

9.17

0.012

< 0.001

0.920

0.194

 d 48

12.6

12.4

14.3

14.3

15.2

15.0

16.7

16.9

0.046

< 0.001

0.825

0.747

 d 61

20.1

19.2

22.4

22.0

23.5

23.2

25.7

25.4

0.075

< 0.001

0.212

0.765

 d 97

40.1

39.6

43.9

43.3

45.8

44.0

47.3

47.4

0.204

< 0.001

0.436

0.462

Average daily gain, g/d

 d 28–48

339

331

379

380

378

372

387

392

2.09

< 0.001

0.825

0.776

 d 48–61

538

514

597

579

604

617

649

640

3.00

< 0.001

0.198

0.303

 d 28–61

423

399

467

454

473

465

497

491

2.18

< 0.001

0.219

0.737

 d 61–97

576

549

608

601

625

590

614

629

3.60

< 0.001

0.332

0.194

  1. a,bWithin BW class numbers with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05)
  2. 1Pigs were weighed within 12 h post-partum (d 0), at weaning (d 27.7, SD = 1.07), 3 weeks post weaning (d 48.0, SD = 0.887), grower (d 61.5, SD = 1.17), and finisher (d 96.9, SD = 6.63)