Effects of gastric ulceration on growth rate of intensively reared pigs.

A total of 147 pigs were observed from weaning to marketing to see what effect ulceration of the stomach had on the growth rate. Nine pigs showed ill-thrift and had severe gastric ulcers. These animals ate slowly with frequent regurgitation and at post mortem examination showed constriction of the cardia, caused by cicatrisations of the pars oesophagea, with hypertrophy of the caudal part of the oesophagus. Growth rates of these animals were significantly lower than those of normal pigs.