Factors Affecting Growth & Visual Performance

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Factors Affecting Growth & Visual Performance


Performance vs Visual

• Growth performance important in:– Rate of gain– Derby contests– Carcass contests

• Livestock show judging is done by visual appraisal

• Optimum growth• Maximum visual


Factors Affecting Visual Outcome

• Selection• Management• Nutrition• Showmanship


Showpig Selection• Muscular

– Top, ham, forearm • Well balanced

– Tall point of shoulder– Extended, clean front end– Wide based

• Sound• Skeletal

– Heaviness of bone• Lean growth potential• Correct age


Showpig Selection


Champion Duroc Barrow NBS Jr. Barrow ClassicA Very Good Modern Barrow


Base width

Tall fronted & well balanced

Heavy muscled, but needs more rib shape


Management• Two do better than one• Facilities

– Clean– Dust free– Warm/cool– Sufficient space (~ 256 ft2 per pig)

• Water– Clean– Abundant– Warm/cool


Management

• Exercise– Train pig to show– Practice showing– Build muscle– Weight management

• Scales• Visual critique


Showpig Management• Self vs hand feeding

– Self – convenient– Maximum growth– Must check and interact with pigs daily– Self feed to 200 lbs then hand feed

• Hand feeding (entire period)– Feed correct amounts – Up to 100 lbs – 3.5 – 5 lbs/day– 100 – 150 lbs – 5 – 6 lbs/day– 150 – show - 6 – 7 lbs /day– Benefits – gentler pig, weight management


Management

• Water– Clean– Abundant– Warm/cool

• Directly related to feed intake• Directly related to health


Watering


Watering


Watering


Separate pigs when hand feeding


Showpig Nutrition

• Lysine vs protein %• Energy vs fat• Tag – fat does not = energy


Showpig Nutrition• Ingredients:

– Corn – soybean meal diets fine for commercial pigs (don’t care how they “look”)

– Animal protein products produce muscle and enhance skin and hair

– SD RBC’s– SD Whey– Dried Eggs– Select fishmeal


Showpig Nutrition

• Show feed vs Commerical feed

• Nutrients – determine growth rate, feed efficiency

• Ingredients – determine what the pig looks like (visually)


Showpig Nutrition

• Nutritional concerns– Too high protein, not enough energy =

scours, or poor growth– High energy reduces feed intake– Too high in crude fiber = poor growth,

poor muscle– Ulcers –

• #1 cause – feed deprivation• #2 cause – particle size


Showpig Nutrition

• Feed to produce the end result (how the pig looks in the showring)

• Modern judging trends:– Wide based– Heavy boned– More cover (body fat)

• Need energy


Showpig Nutrition

• Paylean– Drug, not a steriod– Increases growth & muscle– Growth response lasts about 21-28 days– Muscle building keeps going

• Negative effects– Can be tough on joints– Can affect attitude


Showpig Nutrition

Paylean• Feed no longer than 21 days• Feed no more than 18 grams/ton• Do not feed to unsound pigs• Do not feed to stress positive pigs• Use glucosamine & chondroitin (3

g/day)• Never limit water (until transporting

to show)


Showmanship


Showmanship• Showpigs –

– Walk pig at a steady pace– Keep pig about 15 ft from judge– Keep pig out of corners– Keep pig off of side rail– Keep pig between you and judge– Give the judge the view he wants (side,

rear)– EYE CONTACT– Dress nice


Use a showbat to turn pigs


Showmanship

• Train the pig at home to:– Respond to the bat– Stay out of corners– Stay in middle of ring– Obey you without running off, getting

mad or tired– Train your pig to walk at least 45

minutes without getting tired


Train the pig so it responds


Walking steadily, eyes on judge


12-15 ft, eyes on judge


Give the judge the view he wants


Different Styles(Both are effective)More

IntenseMore Relaxed


Showmanship

• Showmanship is won at home• Everything you do at home will show

up in the ring on show day and…..• Everything you don’t do at home will

show up in the ring on show day


Showmanship

• Present your pig so that it looks it’s best

• Present yourself so that you look your best

• Showmanship starts when you enter the ring

• Showmanship ends when you leave the ring

• Show Hard & have FUN

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Final Push• The best advice I can provide to increase weight gain, is to make

sure they have CLEAN, FRESH, COOL water at all time, adequate and appropriate facilities to keep them comfortable in changing temperatures (especially as it gets above 85 degrees), and to ensure that animals are fed a high quality feed on a scheduled basis (preferably a finishing feed vs. a developer—developer feeds are higher in protein but have less calories than finisher feeds per pound. It is all about getting the most calories into your animal to get weight gain.

• Also remember that protein digestion can promote weight loss—remember the Atkin’s diet effect). Also, try to arrange to transport and weigh your animal in when the weather will be the coolest and after they have had a second meal for the day. Keeping stress to a minimum during loading will also help prevent weight loss—so plan ahead and stay calm.

• Sarah M. SmithArea Extension Faculty--Animal Sciences

Building Confidence & Expertise

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Show Steer


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Lamb Feeding


• The hay in these rations should be good quality alfalfa or alfalfa-grass mix. Grain for sheep can be fed whole; it does not need to be ground or rolled. A protein supplementsuch as soybean meal or a commercial protein supplement containing at least 35%natural protein should be mixed with the grain at the rate of 1 pound of proteinsupplement for every 3 to 4 pounds of grain, depending on the protein content of thesupplement. Alternatively, a commercial grain mix can be used that already has acrude protein content of 14% to 16%. Using a commercial mix is certainly moreconvenient, and there is less chance of mixing error. Make sure the commercial feed is labeled for feeding sheep or general livestock.

• Remember, these are only guidelines. Watch your lambs closely and make feeding adjustments as necessary. Your lambs should be full fed, meaning they will just cleanup everything offered them between feedings and aren’t standing around hungry duringthe day or night.

• The rations listed above for young lambs contain 85% grain mix and 15% hay. For the older lambs, the rations contain 60% to 75% grain mix and 25% to 40% hay. Lambs unaccustomed to this much grain cannot be started on this much grain all at oncewithout becoming sick and suffering damage to their stomachs. Rather, they should bestarted out at about 1/3 of the grain recommended for their weight and the difference fedin hay. Then, over a three week period, the grain can be slowly increased and the haydecreased until the desired amount of each is being fed.

• Good luck with your lambs!

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MEAT GOATS• Since most goats do not deposit external fat as quickly as other

species of livestock, a self-feeding program can be used effectively.

• Nutrients. There are five basic nutrients that are required by all livestock. They are water, protein, energy, minerals, and vitamins.

• Water. Water is one of the most critical nutrients in a feeding program as it regulates the amount of feed a goat will consume. Reduced water intake can aid feeders at certain periods during the program to reduce feed intake and reduce the size of the rumen.

• Protein. Young, fast-growing goats need higher protein diets (18 % - 22%) to allow them to grow and develop their muscle potential. Rations which contain 16 - 18% protein are useful during many phases of the club goat feeding program, but rations lower than 16% tend to lead to fat deposition too quickly and should be avoided.

• Energy. The most common limiting nutrient in goat rations is energy. Inadequate energy intake will result in a slowing of growth and loss of weight. An adequate supply of energy is necessary for efficient utilization of nutrients. Grain and protein supplements are high in energy.Building Confidence &

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Factors Affecting Growth & Visual Performance