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

Table 6 Cluster characteristics of weaning weight class 1 piglets (smallest 25% at weaning) clustered in different groups based on birth weight, various morphometric characteristics, and pre-weaning growth. Data are expressed as LSM ± SED¹

Cluster (%)	1	2	3	SED	P-value
Cluster (%)	16.1%	61.9%	22.0%	SED	P-value
Cluster characteristics
Body weight, kg
d 0	1.13^c	1.26^b	1.46^a	0.007	< 0.001
Relative BiW²	0.795^c	0.887^b	0.988^a	0.004	< 0.001
d 28	3.91^b	5.53^a	5.54^a	0.010	< 0.001
Morphometric characteristics
Abdominal circumferences, cm	20.0^b	20.7^b	22.0^a	0.054	< 0.001
Cranial circumferences, cm	20.0^c	20.5^b	21.3^a	0.033	< 0.001
Snout to ear length, cm	9.51^c	9.75^b	9.92^a	0.015	< 0.001
Crown rump length, cm	23.3^b	24.5^a	23.8^b	0.049	< 0.001
Body mass index³, kg/m²	20.2^b	20.5^b	25.6^a	0.058	< 0.001
Ponderal index⁴, kg/m³	86.5^b	84.2^b	108^a	0.245	< 0.001
Birth weight: Cranial circumferences, kg/cm	0.0553^c	0.0607^b	0.0683^a	0.0003	< 0.001
Snout to ear length: Birth weight, cm/ kg	9.23^c	8.23^b	7.09^a	0.045	< 0.001
Average daily gain, g/day
d 0–28	99.5^c	154^a	147^b	0.459	< 0.001

^a,b,cValues with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05)
¹Pigs were weighed within 12 h post-partum (d 0) and at weaning (d 27.7, SD = 1.07)
²Relative birth weight = (Birth weight piglet/ mean birth weight birth litter)
³Body mass index = birth weight (kg)/[crown rump length (m)]²
⁴Ponderal index = birth weight (kg)/[crown rump length (m)]³

ISSN: 2055-5660