Effects of ractopamine and gender on performance and carcass quality of swine with different halothane genotypes

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the ractopamine effect on performance and carcass quality of swine carriers of the dominant homozygote and heterozygote halothane genotypes. It were used 24 barrows and 12 gilts, half of each genotype. The experimental design used was a randomized block under a 2x2x2 factorial arrangement comprising two halothane genotypes (dominant homozygote and heterozygote), two rations (one containing 10 ppm of ractopamine and another without ractopamine) and two genders (barrows and gilts). It were evaluated the performance, carcass and the economic viability of the ractopamine use. All the binary interactions evaluated were not significant as there was no difference among the dominant homozygote and heterozygote genotypes on the performance and carcass quality characteristics, except to the variable ration consumption (P < 0.05), where the heterozygote swine consumed more. As a result of this experiment it was found that the performance and the carcass characteristics of the swine were not affected by the presence of the halothane genotypes and by the addition of ractopamine to the ration.