Comparison of three practical rations for growing pigs

Abstract

A co-ordinated trial has been carried out at twenty-six centres to compare the effects of three practical rations on performance and carcass quality of fattening pigs. The simplest of these was the ‘Shinfield ration’ (SR) and this was compared with the more elaborate National Pig Progeny Testing Station rations, the ‘old’ ration (OPT) as used until January 1963 and the ‘new’ ration (NPT) as used since January 1963.The OPT ration was significantly worse than the SR and NPT rations in respect of growth rate and food conversion. The simpler and cheaper SR ration did not differ significantly from the NPT ration. Ration differences were not significant for any carcass measurements.