Modelling the feed intake response of growing pigs to diets contaminated with mycotoxins

International audience; Quantifying robustness of farm animals is essential before it can be implemented in breeding and management strategies.A generic modelling and data analysis procedure was developed to quantify the feed intake response of growing pigs toperturbations in terms of resistance and resilience. The objective of this study was to apply this procedure to quantify these traitsin 155 pigs from an experiment where they received diets with or without cereals contaminated with the mycotoxindeoxynivalenol (DON). The experimental pigs were divided equally in a control group and three DON-challenged groups. Pigs ineach of the challenged groups received a diet contaminated with DON for 7 days early on (from 113 to 119 days of age), later on(from 134 to 140 days of age) or in both periods of the experiment. Results showed that the target feed intake trajectory of eachpig could be estimated independently of the challenge. The procedure also estimated relatively accurately the times when DONwas given to each challenged group. Results of the quantification of the feed intake response indicated that age and previousexposure to DON have an effect on the resilience capacity of the animals. The correlation between resistance and resilience traitswas modest, indicating that these are different elements of robustness. The feed intake analysis procedure proved its capacity todetect and quantify the response of animals to perturbations, and the resulting response traits can potentially be used inbreeding strategies