D2-Lanc«st#r Farming Saturday, May 28, 1988
Dr. Kenneth B. Kephart
Extension Swine Specialist
Penn State University
April 17,' 1988
Growth Agents on the Horizon
Swine producers are asking a lot
of questions about the coming gen
eration of growth promotants. And
they should. The products are dif
ferent than anything we’re now
using in the hog industry. The
effects on performance and carcass
quality are almost beyond belief.
And we’re inundated with a new
set of terms - biotechnology,
repartitioning agents, beta
agonists, and somatotropin to
name a few. Let’s take a look at
these products, their effects on the
hog and on the industry.
PORCINE SOMATOTROPIN
The product that provides the
best response and seems to be get
ting most of the press is porcine
somatotropin (PST), another name
for pig growth hormone. At mod
erate doses, PST will improve
growth rate and feed efficiency by
roughly 20%. If given to pigs from
60 to 220 pounds, PST would
reduce the time to market by 2
weeks and save about 115 pounds
of feed per head. At the same time,
pigs receiving PST will have .2
inch less backfat and loin eyes that
are 1 square inch larger.
There are some other “nice“
things about PST. Since it’s identi
cal to the growth hormone pro
duced by the pigs pituitary gland, it
leaves no residue. And even if it
did, it would have no effect on a
consumer eating pork from a
treated pig.
But PST has it’s drawbacks.
Because it’s a protein, feeding the
stuff is out of the question. The sto
mach would digest it like any other
protein. That leaves injection as
the only way for getting PST into
the pig. All the research that we
read and hear about has been with
daily injections.
It’s difficult for me to imagine
injecting several hundred pigs
every day, let alone several thou
sand. Surprisingly, many of the
people that plan to market PST say
that daily injections aren’t that bad
and hope that producers will agree.
The companies have been deve
loping special multiple dose syr
inges and even back slap syringes
to make things a little easier.
For the producer that “just says
no“ to daily injections, implants of
some kind are apparently being
developed. However, implants and
PST don’t make a smooth combi
nation. Once PST is dissolved and
at body temperature, the hormone
tends to fall apart or change into
something that has no effect on
performance. That doesn’t mean
an “implant” won’t be available.
But it does mean that the injection
will still have to be given fairly
often (like every 2 weeks). And the
response will be fesff.
Another drawback with PSJ is a
potential lamefifess problem. In
Terry Etherton’s research at Penn
State, pigs on high doses have had
Pork
Prose
by
Kenneth B. Kephart
Penn State Extension Swine Specialist
a lot of mobility problems toward
the end of the finishing period.
We’re not certain why, however
Pitman-Moore, a company
involved in PST production,
claims that lameness is not a prob
lem if high doses are avoided and
pigs are injected only during the
finishing period. However, Dan
Hagen and Keith Bryan, also at
Penn State, observed soundness
problems with gilts that weren’t
started on treatment until about
200 pounds.
Another glitch with PST is that a
few pigs in some trials have died
shortly after the injection. It may
be a while before we find the cause
since the deaths occur after many
injections, and the actual mortality
rate is extremely low. At Penn
Slate we’ve also seen some pigs on
PST die of ulcers. We don’t know
if the ulcers were related to the
PST.
PST will probably not be mark
eted for sows in the near future for
a couple of reasons. It does save
feed during lactation. And it does
help the sow produce milk more
efficiently. But it seems to have
little if any effect on piglet wean
ing weights. And it decreases
backfat and sow feed intake during
lactation - two effects that would
be difficult to sell when the current
theory promotes higher feed intake
and less fat loss.
BETA AGONISTS
These compounds are man
made and similar to adrenaline.
Like PST, they improve growth
and feed efficiency. They also
reduce fat and increase muscle in
the carcass. Compared to PST, the
changes in performance are less
dramatic. But since the beta agon
ists are not proteins, they can be
included in the feed.
Cimaterol & Clenbuterol
Both of these compounds are
added to the feed at very low levels
(.20 to .50 ppm). Growth rate and
feed efficiency are both improved
5 to 10 percent. Loin eye areas are
increased about .5 square inches
and backfat is reduced .1 to .2
inches. One drawback to these
compounds is that they increase
heart rate up to twice normal rate,
probably because of their similari
ty to adrenaline. Another problem,
particularly with cimaterol, is an
increase in hoof lesions and
cracks.
L 644,969 & Cl 263, 780
These two compounds, with the
strange names, appear to support
greater changes in growth perfor
mance than cimaterol and clcn
buterol. Studies show that feeding
1 ppm improves feed conversion
by 10 to 12 percent. Backfat is
reduced about .1 inches and loin
eye area is increased about .5
square inches. Improvements to
average daily gain have not been
reported.
Ractopamine
Of the beta agonists, a lot of
people t}iink that ractopamine
shows the most promise. At 20
(Turn to Pag* D 4)
Success Marks Bull
ITHACA, NY The Bull
Olympics ’BB is now history. This
year’s New York State Bull Test
Sale averaged approximately
$2,344 with the highest bulls being
a Black Angus from Ballantrae
Farms of Westfield selling for
$5,000 and purchased by Richard
Milk of Byron, New York, and a
Reg Angus owned by Ken Marquis
of Ithaca also sold for $5,000. This
bull was purchased by Ted Antol
of Hopewehl, Virginia.
Bidding was brisk. Auctioneer
Col. John Spiker of West Virginia
kept the pace rolling. Thirty-six
bulls were sold at the New York
State Bull Test Sale which was
sponsored by the New York Beef
Cattlemens Association, Depart
ment of Ag & Markets, Depart
ment of Animals Science at Cor
nell University.
Top sellers in their respective
breeds were: Charolais: Cooper
Charolais Farm bull bom 4/1/87
was sold for $3,000 and purchased
by Curtis Kundert of Wallkill,
New York. Gelbvieh: Lucas
Farms of Cazenovia bought a bull
owned by Elmer Newman of
DeKalb Junction, New York, for
$1,850. Shorthorn: Springbrook
Farm of Parish, New York, sold a
3/1/87 bull for $2,300 to Sunrise
Farms of Auburn. Simmental:
Delaware
Sixth In
LAURINBURG, NC The
Delaware Valley College Hunt
Seat horse show team finished
sixth in this spring’s Intercollegi
ate National Horse Show, held at
St. Andrews Presbyterian College
in Laurinburg, NC, after complet
ing a show season as Region V
champion.
Melissa Gordon, a freshman
equine science major from Con
shohockcn, PA, placed highest
among DVC students, gamering a
second place in the Novice Fence
class for her Cartier Cup (hunt
seal) team.
Anthony M. DcLisc, junior biol
ogy major from Doylestown, PA,
who earned the highest total points
for hunt seat in all of Region V,
placed fourth in the Open Flat class
and fifth nationally for hunt scat
high point rider. Tony is also the
captain of the Hunt Scat Team at
the College.
The Intercollegiate Horse Show
Association is an organization
encompassing 12 regions and
approximately 152 colleges from
26 states and Canada; it represents
over 3,000 riders. Formally estab
lished in 1967, its aim is to prom
ote competition for riders at all
skill levels, from beginner to show
experienced, at both individual
and team vantages. Emphasis is on
learning, sportsmanship and fun,
under the principle that any college
student should be able to partici
pate in horse shows regardless of
financial status or riding level.
Many schools provide mounts for
the students who ride.
Delaware Valley College’s
recent history with the IHSA Reg
ion V has been impressive. Two
years ago, it was also Region V
champion in the Hunt Seat. The
previous year, the Stock Seat
Team traveled to Nationals to rep
resent Region V as its champion.
The 1988 showing of sixth place in
the Nationals is the College’s best
showing ever, and gives both
teams an optimistic outlook for the
next year, according to Dr. Fred
Hofsaess, chairman of the Depart
ment of Animal Science, which
hosts the stock and hunt seat
teams.
ip- ig >y ip
Warren, Pei nsylvanla, was purchased by Paul Wood of Gil
lette, Pennsylvania, for $3,300.
$3,300 took a Blue Chip Stock
Farm of Warren, Pennsylvania,
bull bom 4/1/87. It was purchased
by Paul Wood of Gillett, Pennsyl
vania. Polled Hereford: Virgil
Phelps of Oakfield, New York,
purchased the Dunwalke/
Puddingstone bull from New
Jersey for $4,800. This bull also
received a special award from the
National Polled Hereford Associa
tion for top gaining hereford. The
Valley College Finishes
Hunt Seat Horse Show
Each region sends a rider to rep
resent it in each of the competition
categories, bringing the competi
tion at Nationals to the 12 best col
legiate riders in this country. The
following students placed in the
IHSA Nationals:
Janet E. Distler, an animal sci
ence sophomore from Bedminster,
PA, placed fifth in the Walk/Trot/
Canter class, Hunt Seat.
Jan Egner, an equine science
Pennsylvania’s
Boar Testing
Program
STATE COLLEGE (Centre)
Pennsylvania’s official boar test
ing program is well underway.
There are 20 pens of four boars
each that are placed on test from
swine producers from throughout
the state. This year there are 10
pens of Yorkshires, three pens of
Durocs, three pens of Hamshires
and one pen each of Berkshircs,
Landrace, Poland Chinas and
Spotted Boars. The four boars in a
pen must be by one sire and out of
one or two litters. The small boars
must be delivered prior to reaching
80 days of age. They are given
either a seven- or 14-day adjust
ment period depending on their
size and then they are weighed on
official test Once on test the pigs
have unlimited access to a self
feeder. The boars are weighed
every 14 days and a progress report
is generated for average daily gain,
lifetime weight per day of age and
pen feed efficiency.
When the pen average weight
I ' J
Sale
Test
award was presented to Dunwalke/
Puddingstone Farm prior to the
bull being sold. Overall, the sale,
which had standing room only was
very successful and all who were
involved with the sale were
pleased with the outcome. Chair
man of the sale was Steve Goto
vich. Bull Test Director was Bill
Greene of the Cooperative Exten
sion Livestock Department.
freshman from Quakertown, PA,
placed fourth in the Intermediate
Flat class, Hunt Seat.
Betty Lollin, a sophomore ani
mal science major from Lebanon,
NJ, placed fourth in the Intermedi
ate Fence class. Hunt Seat.
Lisa Wilkoski, a sophomore
animal science major from New
ton, PA, placed third as an indivi
dual qualified rider in the Interme
diate Stock Seat class.
Underway
reaches 230 pounds the pen is
taken off lest, and the boars are
hand fed and exercised daily. The
boars will have their final average
daily gain calculated and ratioed,
the days to 230 pounds will be
computed and a final pen feed effi
ciency and ratio will be deter
mined. The boars will be ultrasoni
cally scanned to determine their
backfat thickness and loin eye
area. A percent lean cuts value will
be determined for each boar and
they will have to meet minimum
requirements for soundness,
underline, and scrotal develop
ment. Each boar will have a final
index calculated from his average
daily gain, feed efficiency and
backfat thickness. After all the
evaluations, the top 40 to 50 boars
will be selected to be sold in Pen
nsylvania’s 11th Performance
Tested Boar Sale. The stile is sche
duled for the Wednesday evening
of Ag Progress Days, August 17,
1988 at 6:00 p.m. The sale will be
held in the Ag Arena on the cam
pus of Penn State University.
For more information on the
boar testing program, the boars on
test or the boar sale contact; Glenn
Eberly, Director, Meat Animal
Evaluation Center, 651 Fox Hol
low Road, State College, PA
16803 or phone (814) 238-2527.