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Animals
Special Issues
Impact of Genetics and Feeding on Growth Performance of Pigs
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Impact of Genetics and Feeding on Growth Performance of Pigs

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Pigs".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 8709

Special Issue Editors

Dr. André Albuquerque

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal
Interests: transcriptomics and molecular biology; animal and plant production; nutrition and health
Dr. Nicolás Garrido De la Osa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Escola Superior Agrária de Elvas, Departamento de Ciência Agrárias e Veterinárias, Edifício Quartel do Trem, Avenida 14 de Janeiro n° 21, 7350-092 Elvas, Portugal
Interests: livestock genetics; animal improvement; animal nutrition and health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, most selected pig breeds have increased their genetic potential associated with growth and body composition traits. These have been followed by a rise in the development of unfavourable meat quality characteristics. Simultaneously, the cost associated with feed growing pigs is estimated to fluctuate between 70 and 80% of the total production cost, and it is crucial to minimize the amount of feed necessary, in a world struggling to meet food sustainability goals. With this in mind, we are excited to announce the Special Issue titled “Impact of Genetics and Feeding on Growth Performance of Pigs”. This collection intends to investigate the complex interactions between food and genetic factors in shaping the development of pigs and we invite researchers to contribute their latest findings as original works or review articles.

Dr. André Albuquerque
Dr. Nicolás Garrido De la Osa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • animal improvement
  • nutrition
  • transcriptomics
  • NGS
  • welfare
  • production
  • sustainability
  • meat quality traits

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

14 pages, 287 KiB  
Article
Partial Replacement of Soyabean Meal with Defatted Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens L.) Larvae Meal Influences Blood Biochemistry and Modulate Oxidative Stress, but Not Growth Performance of Pigs
by Gergana Yordanova, Radka Dimitrova Nedeva, Apostol Petrov Apostolov, Stephen Charles Mansbridge, Isobel Margaret Whiting, Alexander Mackay Mackenzie, Galina Dimitrova Nikolova, Yanka Dimitrova Karamalakova and Vasil Radoslavov Pirgozliev
Animals 2025, 15(8), 1077; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15081077 - 8 Apr 2025
Viewed by 384
Abstract
The production of soybean meal (SBM) can be linked to various issues related to the environment (e.g., deforestation, water waste, and transportation costs), and reducing its inclusion in pig diets by using alternative protein sources, such as insect meal, is an important challenge [...] Read more.
The production of soybean meal (SBM) can be linked to various issues related to the environment (e.g., deforestation, water waste, and transportation costs), and reducing its inclusion in pig diets by using alternative protein sources, such as insect meal, is an important challenge for nutritionists. This study aimed to compare the productive performance, dietary digestible energy (DE), nutrient digestibility, and some blood indices of growing Danube White pigs fed graded levels of Black Soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae meal (BSFLM) at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 g/kg of diets, in replacement of SBM for 38 days, from 119 to 157 d old. Each diet was fed to eight pigs in individual boxes following randomization. Pigs grew according to breeders’ recommendations and did not have any clinical health problems. Replacing SBM did not change (p > 0.05) the pigs’ growth performance and DE, as only dietary fat digestibility increased in a linear fashion (p < 0.001), possibly due to the high BSFLM, i.e., the high-fat inclusion rate. There was a simultaneous rise in some oxidative damage indicators and an increase in antioxidant status, thus suggesting that further research involving longer feeding periods is needed to identify a potential time sequence of events. Overall, BSFLM is a promising ingredient in pig nutrition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Genetics and Feeding on Growth Performance of Pigs)
12 pages, 1033 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Assessment of the Effectiveness of Mineral Adsorbents in Sequestering Boar Taint Compounds
by Sanghyuk Park and James Squires
Animals 2025, 15(6), 765; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15060765 - 7 Mar 2025
Viewed by 380
Abstract
The utility of four mineral adsorbents as potential feed additives to bind the boar taint compounds, androstenone and skatole, was assessed with an in vitro system. The adsorbents were bentonite (BNT), diatomaceous earth (DE), spent filter aid (SFA) and hydrated sodium–calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS), [...] Read more.
The utility of four mineral adsorbents as potential feed additives to bind the boar taint compounds, androstenone and skatole, was assessed with an in vitro system. The adsorbents were bentonite (BNT), diatomaceous earth (DE), spent filter aid (SFA) and hydrated sodium–calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS), with activated charcoal (AC) as a positive control. The binding capacity (Bmax) and binding affinity (K) of androstenone (AND), estrone (E1), estrone sulfate (E1S), and skatole were estimated using the modified Michaelis–Menten kinetics. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were also used to assess the adsorption behaviour. The Bmax values with AND were 77.7 ± 1.12%, 71.9 ± 1.93%, 55.0 ± 7.85%, and 69.5 ± 1.39% for BNT, DE, SFA, and HSCAS, respectively, with no differences in the binding affinity K (p > 0.05). All the mineral adsorbents had very low binding with E1S. SFA bound skatole with a Bmax of 89.9 ± 1.09%, while the Bmax values for skatole binding by BNT, DE and HCAS were approximately 15%. Most adsorbent–adsorbate complexes fit best with the Freundlich isotherm model. We conclude that all four mineral adsorbents bound androstenone, but not E1S, and only SFA effectively bound skatole. This suggests that SFA may act as a selective dietary binding agent to control boar taint, but further research using animal models is needed to explore the utility and selectivity of these adsorbents as feed additives to control boar taint. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Genetics and Feeding on Growth Performance of Pigs)
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19 pages, 321 KiB  
Article
Growth Performance, Carcass Quality, and Lipid Metabolism in Krškopolje Pigs and Modern Hybrid Pigs: Comparison of Genotypes and Evaluation of Dietary Protein Reduction
by Martin Škrlep, Klavdija Poklukar, Milka Vrecl, Jana Brankovič and Marjeta Čandek-Potokar
Animals 2024, 14(22), 3331; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14223331 - 19 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1052
Abstract
This study compared the performance, meat quality and adipose tissue characteristics of Krškopolje pigs and modern hybrid pigs under identical rearing conditions, besides examining the effects of dietary protein reduction in both genotypes. A total of 29 pigs (14 Krškopolje and 15 hybrids) [...] Read more.
This study compared the performance, meat quality and adipose tissue characteristics of Krškopolje pigs and modern hybrid pigs under identical rearing conditions, besides examining the effects of dietary protein reduction in both genotypes. A total of 29 pigs (14 Krškopolje and 15 hybrids) were assigned to litter into two dietary groups (high and low protein). The low-protein diet for hybrid pigs corresponded to the high-protein diet for Krškopolje pigs. All diets were iso-energetic. Dietary protein reduction decreased growth rate and muscle development in modern hybrids but had no significant impact on performance, quality or metabolic traits in Krškopolje pigs. Genotype differences revealed that Krškopolje pigs had lower growth rates, less lean and more fat deposition, as reflected in thicker subcutaneous and higher intramuscular fat compared to modern hybrids. Krškopolje pigs also exhibited higher myoglobin concentration and fatty acid saturation. Lipogenic enzyme activity and histo-morphological traits behaved in a tissue-specific manner but still indicated a greater lipogenic potential in Krškopolje pigs. This study provides valuable insights into breed-specific responses to dietary changes and highlights the unique characteristics of Krškopolje pigs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Genetics and Feeding on Growth Performance of Pigs)
9 pages, 590 KiB  
Article
Heat Production of Iberian Pig Exposed to High Temperature and Effect of Dietary Supplementation with Betaine or Zinc
by Manuel Lachica, Zaira Pardo, Luis Lara, Rosa Nieto and Ignacio Fernández-Fígares
Animals 2024, 14(14), 2033; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14142033 - 10 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1200
Abstract
The effect of heat, and dietary betaine or zinc on the heat production (HP) of Iberian pigs was studied. Thirty barrows (44 kg) were individually housed for 28 days and assigned to one of five treatments: (1) thermoneutrality (20 °C) and fed a [...] Read more.
The effect of heat, and dietary betaine or zinc on the heat production (HP) of Iberian pigs was studied. Thirty barrows (44 kg) were individually housed for 28 days and assigned to one of five treatments: (1) thermoneutrality (20 °C) and fed a control diet (TN-CON) ad libitum; (2) hot (30 °C) and fed a control diet (HT-CON) ad libitum; (3) thermoneutrality and pair fed a control diet (TN-CON-PF) to HT-CON; (4) hot and fed a betaine-supplemented (0.5%) diet (HT-BET) ad libitum; and (5) hot and fed a zinc-supplemented (0.012%) diet (HT-ZN) ad libitum. On the 18th day, pigs were moved to a respirometry chamber (two chambers) under their respective treatment. The metabolizable energy (ME) intake, HP and respiratory quotient (RQ) were measured over 24 h. No differences (p > 0.05) were found in HP and RE between treatments. For RQ, TN-CON was greater (p < 0.01) than HT treatments, except for HT-BET. All RQs indicated an overall lipogenesis where betaine supplementation showed an intermediate value, indicating that it may have a positive effect on lipogenesis and overall growth. At 30 °C, betaine or zinc had no effect on HP and RE; ME intake was not reduced, indicating a genetic adaptation of Iberian pigs to heat. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Genetics and Feeding on Growth Performance of Pigs)
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13 pages, 275 KiB  
Article
Chemical Composition of Newborn Piglets with Different Weights at Birth in Sows with a High Reproductive Performance
by Carina Antonczyk, Christine Ratert, Cornelia Schwennen, Josef Kamphues and Amr Abd El-Wahab
Animals 2024, 14(9), 1380; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14091380 - 4 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1474
Abstract
The present study aimed to quantify and update the data on the body composition (energy nutrients) of newborn piglets of different body weights at the time of birth, as well as of the placenta mass. Data were collected from newborn piglets (n [...] Read more.
The present study aimed to quantify and update the data on the body composition (energy nutrients) of newborn piglets of different body weights at the time of birth, as well as of the placenta mass. Data were collected from newborn piglets (n = 25) from modern genetic lines which were stillborn or died within the first 24 h of life after being crushed to death with various body weights at birth (<0.8 kg (n = 5); 0.8–1.2 kg (n = 5); >1.2–1.6 kg (common birth weight, n = 10) and >1.6 kg (n = 5)). The placenta (n = 20) of sows from a conventional breeding farm were collected, too. The body composition of newborns of “normal” (>1.2–1.6 kg) and even lighter (0.8–1.2) weights still indicated a “normal” composition. In the case of a lower body weight of piglets <0.8 kg at birth, the crude ash (24.1%) and crude protein (8.21%) contents were higher, but the crude fat (16.1%), carbohydrate (57.4%), and gross energy (3.60%) contents were lower. The placental composition in comparison to the piglet body composition was characterized by higher crude protein contents (24.3%) and lower crude ash (31.6%), crude fat (9.08%), and carbohydrate (55.6%) contents. In conclusion, the energy and protein accumulation in the total mass of fetuses and placentas increased by 75% and 64%, respectively, in comparison to times in which the litter size varied around 10–12 piglets, essentially as a result of the larger fetal mass and not of a different body composition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Genetics and Feeding on Growth Performance of Pigs)

Review

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20 pages, 830 KiB  
Review
Sustainable Nutritional Strategies for Gut Health in Weaned Pigs: The Role of Reduced Dietary Crude Protein, Organic Acids and Butyrate Production
by Kathryn Ruth Connolly, Torres Sweeney and John V. O’Doherty
Animals 2025, 15(1), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15010066 - 30 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1650
Abstract
Weaning in piglets presents significant physiological and immunological challenges, including gut dysbiosis and increased susceptibility to post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD). Abrupt dietary, environmental, and social changes during this period disrupt the intestinal barrier and microbiota, often necessitating antimicrobial use. Sustainable dietary strategies are critical [...] Read more.
Weaning in piglets presents significant physiological and immunological challenges, including gut dysbiosis and increased susceptibility to post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD). Abrupt dietary, environmental, and social changes during this period disrupt the intestinal barrier and microbiota, often necessitating antimicrobial use. Sustainable dietary strategies are critical to addressing these issues while reducing reliance on antimicrobials. Reducing dietary crude protein mitigates the availability of undigested proteins for pathogenic bacteria, lowering harmful by-products like ammonia and branched-chain fatty acids, which exacerbate dysbiosis. Organic acid supplementation improves gastric acidification, nutrient absorption, and microbial balance, while also serving as an energy-efficient alternative to traditional grain preservation methods. Increasing intestinal butyrate, a key short-chain fatty acid with anti-inflammatory and gut-protective properties, is particularly promising. Butyrate strengthens intestinal barrier integrity by upregulating tight junction proteins, reduces inflammation by modulating cytokine responses, and promotes anaerobic microbial stability. Exogenous butyrate supplementation via salts provides immediate benefits, while endogenous stimulation through prebiotics (e.g., resistant starch) and probiotics promotes sustained butyrate production. These interventions selectively enhance butyrate-producing bacteria such as Roseburia and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, further stabilising the gut microbiota. Integrating these strategies can enhance gut integrity, microbial resilience, and immune responses in weaned piglets. Their combination offers a sustainable, antimicrobial-free approach to improving health and productivity in modern pig production systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Genetics and Feeding on Growth Performance of Pigs)
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17 pages, 1305 KiB  
Review
An Updated Review of Emerging Sources of Selenium in Weaned Piglet Nutrition
by Wenyue Zhou, Zheng Yang, Jiajun Han, Xingping Chen, Tiande Zou, Jinming You and Jun Chen
Animals 2024, 14(17), 2599; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14172599 - 6 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1680
Abstract
The antioxidant and immune systems of weaned piglets are not fully mature and are also subjected to serious stress challenges related to oxidative stress and inflammation. Selenium (Se) is an essential element for pigs, with documented roles encompassing antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties via [...] Read more.
The antioxidant and immune systems of weaned piglets are not fully mature and are also subjected to serious stress challenges related to oxidative stress and inflammation. Selenium (Se) is an essential element for pigs, with documented roles encompassing antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties via selenoproteins. Sodium selenite and Se-enriched yeast are commonly acknowledged as conventional sources of Se for piglets. In the past decade, several novel Se sources have emerged in the field of weaned piglet nutrition. In this review, we will initially outline the historical timeline of Se sources as reported in weaned piglet nutrition. Afterwards, our attention will turn towards the nutritional regulation of Se sources in relation to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory aspects of healthy weaned piglets. Ultimately, we will provide a detailed review highlighting the potential of emerging Se sources in alleviating various adverse effects of stress challenges faced by weaned piglets. These challenges include oxidative stress, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli infection, lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation, heat stress, and exposure to feed mycotoxins. The output of this review will emphasize the fundamental importance of incorporating emerging Se sources in the diet of weaned piglets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Genetics and Feeding on Growth Performance of Pigs)
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