Modelling Growth in the Pig

This work contains a compilation of lecture materials developed for an international postgraduate course on modelling of growth in the pig delivered at the International Training Centre (PHLO) at Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands. The aim of the book is to provide a background to the development and use of pig growth models. Growth models which incorporate knowledge on how pigs grow and describe the underlying growth processes are becoming increasingly important both in research and commercial application. The text covers approaches to modelling and model evaluation, principles of nutrient partitioning, feed intake and its control, the effect of climatic conditions, stochasticity and the metabolic approach to modelling. A comprehensive introduction to the use of models in practice is given. It is intended for workers in the field of animal production who have completed university or higher education in animal science. The book should also be useful for those interested in obtaining a background to pig growth modelling and should be equally relevant to researchers, teachers and those wishing to apply practical models in feed companies and on-farm.