[Growth hormone, a potential way to improve livestock productivity in Africa]

This paper reviews experimental data on exogenous pST administration effects on growth and carcass performances in pigs to show the importance pST could have for pigs breeding in Africa. In Europe and USA pST breeding conditions induced growth rate increase (+18.7%) and a decrease of the feed intake (-14.6%) and the feed/gain ratio (-26.5%). The carcass muscle percentage was increased (+17.8%) and the fat rib was decreased (-25.6%) in treated animals compared to controls. pST induced a generalised thoracic and abdominal organs hypertrophy which can partly explain the slight decrease of dressing percentage. On the meat quality pST didn't have any pronounced detrimental effect. According to these interesting results, pST effects must be tested in Africa breeding conditions.