Measurement of conchal atrophy and pneumonic lesions and their association with growth rate in commingled feeder pigs

A group of 85 commingled feeder pigs was fed on a totally confined feeding floor until slaughter. Mean daily weight gain was calculated for each pig. At slaughter, the nose of each pig was cross-sectioned and scored for conchal atrophy by use of 2 methods. One method ascribed a score based on a linear measurement of the distance between the ventral scroll of the ventral conchae and the ventral floor of the nasal cavity. The other method ascribed a score based on a subjective evaluation of the degree of conchal degeneration according to previously published guidelines. The amount of pulmonary consolidation attributable to pneumonia was also estimated for each pig. Association was not found between growth rate and conchal atrophy, as determined by linear measurement scores. A negative correlation existed between growth rate and conchal atrophy, as determined by subjective evaluation scores. Pigs with extensive pneumonic lesions (consolidation of 20 to 30% of total lung volume) grew slower than pigs with milder pneumonic lesions. Results of this study indicate that subjective evaluation scores of conchal atrophy may be more useful in predicting growth rate than are linear measurement scores.