Variation in the production chain has a large economic impact. Variation of growth due to gender and crowding during the grower-finisher phase were examined. Less crowding reduced days until market by four days. Holding gilts longer than barrows may be beneficial as barrows reached market weight six days earlier. Raising the growth curve for all pigs may be more practical than reducing overall variation on a farm.
Effect of Gender and Crowding on Variation in Days to Market (full article)
