147 Effect of Within-pen Variation in Weaning Weight on the Growth Performance of Nursery Pigs

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 135-136
Author(s):  
Jenny R Morris ◽  
Michael Ellis ◽  
Caleb M Shull

Abstract This study evaluated the effect of housing newly-weaned pigs in uniform versus mixed weight groups on nursery growth performance (5.9 ± 1.1 to 26.2 ± 2.9 kg BW). Pigs were assigned to a weaning weight (WW) quartile: Q1 (light; 4.2 ± 0.1 kg), Q2 (medium-light; 5.5 ± 0.1 kg), Q3 (medium-heavy; 6.3 ± 0.2 kg), and Q4 (heavy; 7.5 ± 0.1 kg). A RCBD was used (blocking factor = start date) with 5 treatments: Control (equal number of pigs from each quartile); Uniform Q1 (all pigs from Q1); Uniform Q2 (all pigs from Q2); Uniform Q3 (all pigs from Q3); Uniform Q4 (all pigs from Q4). There were 16 replicates and 3,503 pigs, with mixed-gender pens of 44. Pen was the experimental unit; data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS (fixed effect = treatment; random effect = replicate). Overall ADG and ADFI increased (P < 0.05) according to WW quartile for the Uniform treatments, with the Control being intermediate. There were no differences (P > 0.05) between treatments for Overall G:F. A contrast statement was used to compare Control to the mean of all 4 Uniform treatments. Compared to Control, the mean of the 4 Uniform treatments had similar (P > 0.05) overall ADG (0.44 vs. 0.44 kg, respectively) and ADFI (0.72 vs. 0.68 kg, respectively), but greater (P < 0.05) overall G:F (0.637 vs. 0.611, respectively). Comparison of pigs from each quartile within Control pens with the respective quartile in Uniform pens suggested no effect (P > 0.05) of weight quartile on ADG (respective means for Control vs Uniform: Q1 0.34 vs. 0.36 kg; Q2 0.39 vs. 0.40 kg; Q3 0.42 vs. 0.42 kg; Q4 0.47 vs. 0.45 kg). These results suggest that penning nursery pigs in uniform versus mixed weight groups had limited effect on growth performance.

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 88-89
Author(s):  
Henrique S Cemin ◽  
Mike D Tokach ◽  
Aaron M Gaines ◽  
Brent W Ratliff ◽  
Steve S Dritz ◽  
...  

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of soybean meal (SBM) level in diets with or without distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) on growth performance of late nursery pigs. A total of 1,064 and 1,011 pigs (PIC 280×1050; initially 10.5 ± 0.36 and 10.9 ± 0.22 kg) were used in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively, with 21 to 27 pigs per pen. Pens were assigned to treatments in a randomized complete block design with 7 replicates per treatment per experiment. Treatments 1 to 3 were diets with 23% DDGS and 21, 27, or 35% SBM. Treatments 4 and 5 were corn-SBM diets with 27 or 35% SBM. Diets were balanced to 1.30% standardized ileal digestible lysine and 2,606 kcal of net energy/kg. Data were analyzed with the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS with pen as the experimental unit and block as random effect. There was no evidence for treatment × experiment interactions, thus data from both trials were combined. Feeding diets with 23% DDGS decreased (P = 0.033) ADFI and improved (P = 0.033) G:F compared to corn-SBM diets, which may indicate underestimation of DDGS net energy. When analyzed as a factorial with or without DDGS, pigs fed diets with 35% SBM had a tendency (P = 0.052) for increased ADG and improved (P = 0.001) G:F compared with diets with pigs fed 27% SBM. As SBM increased from 21 to 35% in diets with DDGS, ADG (linear, P = 0.001) and G:F (quadratic, P = 0.007) improved. In summary, feeding diets with increasing SBM improved growth performance in late nursery pigs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 60-61
Author(s):  
Carine M Vier ◽  
Ning Lu ◽  
Gustavo Silva ◽  
Luis E Zaragoza ◽  
Brandon Knopf ◽  
...  

Abstract Our objective was to determine the effects of increasing dietary standardized ileal digestible (SID) lysine (Lys) on the growth performance of late nursery pigs. A total of 1,125 pigs (PIC 337×Camborough, initially 12.0±0.66 kg) were used in a 21-d study. The pigs used in the study were sired by boars ranked in the top 15% of a selected PIC elite boar stud based on index. Pens of pigs were blocked by body weight and randomly allotted to 1 of 5 treatments containing 0.95, 1.10, 1.20, 1.35, and 1.50% of SID Lys. Diets were corn-soybean meal-based and contained 2,480 Kcal of NE/kg. Treatments were achieved with increasing feed-grade amino acids. There were 9 mixed gender pens per treatment and 25 pigs per pen. Data were analyzed using generalized linear and nonlinear mixed models with pen as the experimental unit. Competing models included linear, quadratic polynomial (QP), broken-line linear (BLL), and broken-line quadratic (BLQ). Increasing SID Lys concentration improved average daily gain (ADG, linear, P < 0.001) and gain to feed ratio (G:F, quadratic, P = 0.011). The best-fitting models for ADG were QP and BLL. The QP model estimated the maximum ADG at 1.43% (95% CI: 1.12 to >1.50%), with 99% of maximum ADG achieved at 1.27%. The BLL plateau was estimated at 1.31% (95%CI: 1.06 to >1.50%). The best-fitting models for G:F were QP, BLL, and BLQ. The QP model estimated the maximum G:F at 1.48% (95%CI: 1.23 to >1.50%), with 99% of maximum G:F achieved at 1.24%. The BLL plateau was estimated at 1.30% (95% CI: 1.18 to 1.41%), whereas the BLQ plateau was estimated at 1.36% (95%CI: 1.14 to >1.50%). In conclusion, the estimated optimum SID Lys concentration for 12- to 26-kg pigs sired by high index boars ranged from 1.30 to 1.48%, depending on the response criteria and statistical model.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 187-188
Author(s):  
Pengcheng Xue ◽  
Don W Giesting ◽  
Mark D Newcomb ◽  
Chad M Pilcher ◽  
Matthew J Ritter

Abstract This study was conducted at a commercial research facility and utilized 1,092 finishing pigs (PIC® 337 × Camborough®) in a RCBD with 3 dietary treatments to determine the effects of commercially available phytogenic feed additives on growth performance traits in finishing swine for the last 35 d prior to marketing. The dietary treatments were as follows: 1) Control; 2) Aromex Pro® (AP; Delacon) fed at 0.01%; and 3) Ambitine® (AM; PMI) fed at 0.1%. Pens with 13 pigs/pen and 0.66 m2/pig were randomly allotted to treatments on the basis of live weight and gender. Pigs had ad libitum access to corn-soy diets that met or exceeded the pig’s requirements (NRC, 2012). Aromex Pro® and Ambitine® were added to the diets at the expense of corn. Dietary treatments started on day 0 (BW = 97.7 kg; SEM = 1.04) and were fed throughout the 35 d trial period. On d 21, the two heaviest pigs per pen were marketed, while the remaining pigs in each pen were marketed on d 35. Pigs and feeders were weighed on d 0, 21, and 35. Data were analyzed by using PROC MIXED of SAS® version 9.4, and pen was the experimental unit. The model included the fixed effect of treatment and random effect of replicate. Pre-planned orthogonal contrasts were used to compare AP vs. Control and AM vs. Control. Feeding AP or AM for the last 35 d in finishing both improved (P < 0.05) ADG by 4%, ADFI by 3% and final BW by 1.6 kg over Control, but did not change feed to gain or mortality. These data demonstrate that phytogenic feed additives can improve growth performance traits in finishing swine.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 87-88
Author(s):  
Henrique S Cemin ◽  
Mike D Tokach ◽  
Steve S Dritz ◽  
Jason C Woodworth ◽  
Joel M DeRouchey ◽  
...  

Abstract Four experiments were conducted to determine the effects of increasing soybean meal (SBM) in diets with or without 25% DDGS on growth performance of nursery pigs. Treatments were arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial with main effects of SBM (27.5, 32.5, or 37.5%) and DDGS (0 or 25%). A total of 296, 2,502, 4,118, and 711 pigs, initially 10.6, 11.7, 12.5, and 12.3 kg, were used and there were 10, 16, 13, and 12 replicates per treatment in Exp. 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Experimental diets were fed for 21 d. Pigs were weighed and feed disappearance measured to calculate ADG, ADFI, G:F, and caloric efficiency (CE). Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS with block as random effect and treatment as fixed effect. The average cull rate was 0.7, 0.5, 0.2, and 0% and the mortality rate was 0.7, 0.3, 0.4, and 0% in Exp. 1 to 4, respectively. There were interactions (P ≤ 0.039) between SBM and DDGS for G:F and CE in Exp. 2 and for ADG and ADFI in Exp. 3. These were mostly driven by increasing SBM negatively affecting performance in a greater magnitude when diets contained DDGS compared to diets without DDGS. The main effects of DDGS and SBM were more consistent across experiments. Pigs fed diets with 25% DDGS had decreased (P ≤ 0.001) ADG and ADFI in all experiments as well as poorer (P ≤ 0.028) G:F and CE except for Exp. 3. Feeding increasing amounts of SBM generally did not result in any major impact in ADG, but consistently improved (linear, P ≤ 0.078) G:F and CE across experiments. The mechanism for this response is unclear but could be driven by intrinsic components of SBM or underestimating the energy value of SBM.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 239-239
Author(s):  
Shane Newton ◽  
Payton Dahmer ◽  
Larry Corah ◽  
Keith Harmoney ◽  
John Jaeger ◽  
...  

Abstract Historic data supports the use of pre-weaning implants to maximize beef calf weaning weight, but their use has declined over the recent decade. A total of 96 beef steers (initially 85.2 kg BW and > 45 d of age) were used in a 168-d study to evaluate the effects of Synovex C® implantation during suckling on pre-weaning calf growth performance. At initial processing, calves were individually weighed and allotted in a completely randomized design to one of two treatments: 1) not implanted (control) or 2) implanted with 150 mg of trenbolone acetate and 21 mg of estradiol benzoate (SYNOVEX® ONE GRASS, Zoetis, Kalamazoo, MI). All calves were weighed on d 0 (implantation), 83, 126 and 168 (weaning), with ADG calculated for each period. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS (v9.4, Cary, NC). There were 48 replicates per treatment, with grazing location as a random effect. While there were no detected differences in BW during the initial phases (P > 0.10), implanted calves tended to have greater (P = 0.100) greater weaning weight than non-implanted calves (279 vs. 265 kg, respectively). Calves implanted with SYNOVEX® ONE GRASS had 0.8, 0.12, and 0.16 kg/d greater (P < 0.05) ADG than those that were not implanted in all three phases. This resulted in an average of 0.10 kg/d greater (P = 0.002) ADG in implanted calves overall compared to the control. In conclusion, this research showed significant increases in suckling calf ADG in implanted calves compared to their non-implanted counterparts, which led to a tendency for 14-kg greater weaning weights. Additional research is warranted to consider the post-weaning growth and impact of re-implanting, but this data reinforces previous literature that suckling calf implantation continues to be cost effective for cow-calf producers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 22-23
Author(s):  
Richard A Mudarra ◽  
Tsung Cheng Cheng Tsai ◽  
Kristopher Bottoms ◽  
Thomas S Shieh ◽  
Casey Bradly ◽  
...  

Abstract To evaluate the effect of bioactive peptide (P) in combination with high level of zinc (HZ) or acidifiers on growth performance, complete blood cell counts (CBC) and nutrient digestibility in nursery pigs, a total of 288 weaned pigs (PIC1050xDNA600) were stratified by initial BW within gender and allotted to 1of 7 treatments. Treatments for phase 1&2 were: 1) nutrient adequate positive control with HZ (PC), 2) nutrient deficient negative control with HZ (NC, -0.13% SID Lysine by reducing fish meal), 3) NC+0.25% peptide (0.25PZ), 4) NC+0.5% peptide (0.5PZ), 5) NC+0.25% peptide with standard zinc (0.25P), 6) NC+0.5% peptide with standard zinc (0.5P), 7) as 5 + 0.1% sodium butyrate and 0.5% benzoic acid (PSB). All pigs were fed a common low Zn diet (197 ppm) during phase 3. The whole blood was obtained from a close-to-average pen-BW pig repeatedly at weaning, and at the end of phase 2 and 3 to determine CBC. Titanium dioxide was used as an indigestible marker to determine nutrient digestibility. Data were analyzed using the Mixed procedures of SAS as a RCBD with treatment as fixed effect, and BW block as random effect. In overall phase 1&2, pigs fed PSB had similar ADG and BW when compared to pigs fed 0.25PZ and both were greater than NC pigs (Table 1). With the same inclusion rate of peptide, pigs fed a high zinc diet had greater BW and ADG than pigs fed a standard zinc diet. PSB pigs had the greatest G:F ratio and nitrogen digestibility among treatments. Increasing peptide in high zinc diets gradually decreased Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. This study indicates that the improvement in growth performance from pigs fed peptide is pharmaceutical zinc dependent and acidifiers can be an alternative to replace ZnO without affecting growth performance.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 75-76
Author(s):  
Mariana Boscato Menegat ◽  
Michaela B Braun ◽  
Joel M DeRouchey ◽  
Jason C Woodworth ◽  
Jim Bryte ◽  
...  

Abstract This study evaluated the progeny of sows fed a control or probiotic diet with Bacillus subtilis C-3102 (Calsporin®, Calpis Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) at 500,000 and 1,000,000 CFU/g diet in gestation and lactation, respectively. A total of 358 weaned pigs (DNA 241 × 600) were used in a 42-d trial with 4–5 pigs/pen and 18–19 pens/treatment. Pens were allotted to treatments in a completely randomized design based on BW at weaning. Treatments were a 2×2 factorial with main effects of sow diet (control vs. probiotic) and nursery diet (control vs. probiotic). In the nursery probiotic diet, a product based on probiotic Bacillus subtilis C-3102 at 500,000 CFU/g diet and prebiotics β-glucans and mannan oligosaccharides was included at 0.05% (BacPack ABF™, Quality Technology International, Inc., Elgin, IL). Diets were corn-soybean meal-based. Growth performance and fecal consistency on a 1-to-5 scale were evaluated weekly. Fecal samples were collected for microbial analysis by culture method and bacterial quantification of Bacillus subtilis C-3102, total Bacillus sp., Lactobacillus sp., Clostridium perfringens, Salmonella spp., Enterococcus sp., Enterobacteriaceae, total aerobes, and total anaerobes. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed model (PROC GLIMMIX, SAS®) with pen as experimental unit. There was no evidence for effect of sow diet, nursery diet, or interactions (P > 0.10) on overall nursery growth performance and fecal consistency. However, growth performance from d 21 to 42 and final BW were greater (P < 0.05) in progeny of control-fed sows compared to probiotic-fed sows. Microbial analysis revealed an increase (P < 0.01) in Bacillus subtilis C-3102 and, consequently, total Bacillus sp. in fecal microflora of probiotic-fed pigs. In conclusion, probiotic inclusion to sow diets lowered growth performance of the progeny in late nursery. The probiotic diet provided to sows or nursery pigs did not influence fecal consistency, but altered the fecal microbial population in nursery pigs by increasing total Bacillus sp.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 216-216
Author(s):  
Mariana Boscato Menegat ◽  
Joel M DeRouchey ◽  
Jason C Woodworth ◽  
Mike D Tokach ◽  
Steve S Dritz ◽  
...  

Abstract This study was conducted to determine the effects of a multi-species direct-fed microbial (DFM) product based on lactic acid bacteria and Bacillus subtilis on growth performance and carcass characteristics of grow-finish pigs. A total of 1,188 pigs (PIC 359 × 1050; initially 25.8 kg BW) were used in a 121-d growth trial with 27 pigs/pen and 22 pens/treatment. Pigs were allotted to treatments based on initial BW in a randomized complete block design. Treatments included a control diet and the control diet with added DFM (BiOWiSH Technologies Inc., Cincinnati, OH) included at 0.055% of the diet at the expense of corn. Diets were based on corn, distillers dried grains with solubles, and soybean meal and fed in four dietary phases. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed model (PROC GLIMMIX, SAS®) with treatment as fixed effect, block as random effect, and pen as experimental unit. Overall (d 0 to 121), pigs fed the control diet had greater ADG (P < 0.05) and final BW (P < 0.001) compared to pigs fed the DFM diet (Table 1). There was no evidence for differences (P > 0.05) in ADFI or G:F between treatments. The difference in final BW resulted in heavier (P < 0.05) HCW in control pigs compared to DFM pigs, but no evidence for differences (P > 0.05) was observed in carcass yield, backfat, loin depth, and percentage lean between treatments. In conclusion, the inclusion of this multi-species DFM in growing-finishing diets reduced ADG in this commercial study. This response could be related to inclusion rate, feeding duration, or other factors not identified in this study, warranting further research to characterize the effects on pig performance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leigh A Ruckman ◽  
Amy L Petry ◽  
Stacie A Gould ◽  
John F Patience

Abstract The objective of this experiment was to compare the effects of spray-dried plasma protein (SDPP) and dried egg protein (DEP), without (AB−) or with (AB+) in-feed antibiotics, on growth performance and markers of intestinal health in nursery pigs raised in commercial conditions. This 42-d experiment utilized 1,230 pigs (4.93 ± 0.04 kg body weight; approximately 15–18 d of age). Pigs were randomly assigned to one of six dietary treatments that were arranged as a 2 × 3 factorial of in-feed antibiotics (AB− vs. AB+) and a specialty protein additive (none [CON], porcine SDPP, or DEP). Diets were fed in four phases with phases 3 and 4 as a common diet across all treatments. Specialty protein additives were fed in phases 1 (0–13 d; 3% SDPP, and 0.20% DEP) and 2 (13–26 d; 2% SDPP, and 0.10% DEP). Antibiotics were fed in phases 1–3 (662 mg chlortetracycline [CTC]/kg, 28 mg carbadox/kg, and 441 mg CTC/kg, respectively). Ileal tissue and blood samples were collected from 48 pigs (8 per treatment) on d 20. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS (9.4) with pen as the experimental unit; protein additives, antibiotics, and their interaction were fixed effects and block was a random effect. The pigs experienced naturally occurring health challenges in weeks 2 and 4. In the AB− diets, SDPP and DEP increased average daily gain (ADG; P = 0.036) and average daily feed intake (ADFI; P = 0.040) compared to CON; in the AB+ diets, neither SDPP nor DEP increased ADG or ADFI compared to CON but SDPP did increase these parameters over DEP. The SDPP and DEP diets decreased the number of individual medical treatments compared to CON (P = 0.001). The AB+ increased ileal mucosal interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist (P = 0.017). Feeding DEP reduced the concentration of mucosal IL-1β compared to CON, but not SDPP (P = 0.022). There was a trend for SDPP and DEP to increase villus height:crypt depth compared to CON (P = 0.066). Neither antibiotics or protein additive affected serum malondialdehyde concentration or ileal mRNA abundance of claudin-3 or 4, occludin, or zonula occludens-1 (P &gt; 0.10). In conclusion, SDPP and DEP improved growth performance of weaned pigs in the absence of antibiotics but neither improved growth compared to CON when feeding standard antibiotic levels. The specialty proteins had a positive effect on health; specialty proteins and antibiotics were able to modulate some markers of intestinal inflammation and morphology.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 87-88
Author(s):  
Kristen M Ewing ◽  
Omarh Mendoza ◽  
Caleb M Shull ◽  
Matthew J Ritter ◽  
Scott Carr

Abstract Feed additives are commonly used in finishing pig diets to improve growth performance and carcass characteristics; however, data is limited on the interaction of various feed additives. The objective of this study was to determine the individual and combined effects of a phytogenic feed additive (Aromex® Pro) and narasin (Skycis®) on finishing pig growth performance and carcass characteristics. The study was conducted at a commercial research facility using a RCBD with 4 dietary treatments: Control (no Aromex® Pro or Skycis®); Aromex (as Control with 90.7 g/ton Aromex® Pro); Skycis (as Control with 13.6 g/ton Skycis®); Aromex + Skycis (as Control with 90.7 g/ton Aromex® Pro and 13.6 g/ton Skycis®). Diets were based on corn, soybean meal, and corn germ meal and were fed using a 3-phase program. Diets were formulated to the same nutrient levels across treatments that met or exceeded nutrient recommendations (NRC, 2012), with the feed additive added at the expense of corn. Pigs were placed on test at 40.6 ± 4.7 kg and harvested in 2 equal groups at 122.4 ± 2.2 kg. Thirteen blocks were used with pens of 34 pigs for 1,768 total pigs. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS with pen as the experimental unit, fixed effect of treatment, and random effect of block. There was no effect (P &gt; 0.05) of treatment on start or end weights, overall ADG (live or carcass weight), overall ADFI, or any carcass characteristics. Overall G:F (live and carcass weight) for Aromex and Skycis was similar (P &gt; 0.05) to each other and greater (P &lt; 0.05) than Control. Aromex + Skycis had G:F (live and carcass weight) similar to Control and Aromex, but less than Skycis. In conclusion, including Aromex® Pro and Skycis® in finishing diets improved feed efficiency, but those effects were not additive.


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