Minimum slicing interval and frequency for CT-based prediction of pigʹs body composition

The aims of our study were to test the effect of CT scanning protocol on the fattening performance of pigs, and the necessary scanning interval to accurately estimate tissue volumes in the body of pigs. A total of 16 Large White type pigs were used in this study. Pigs were kept individually and in concrete floor pen and fed at the level of 3.0 times of the maintenance energy requirements. Eight pigs were scanned at 30, 40, 50, 60, 75, 90 and 105kg live weight, while another eight pigs were not scanned during the fattening period. The scanning was performed with Siemens Somatom Plus spiral computer tomograph from head to tail with 10mm slice thickness and 10mm distances between the images. In conclusion restrictedly fed pigs can be examined with CT several times without negative effect on growing performance, but in the fattening phase some reduction in feed conversion can be expected. For the accurate determination of tissue volumes scanning of every 5th cm is sufficient in the 30-105 kg live weight range.