Effects of conditioners (standard, long term, and expander) on pellet quality and growth performance in nursery pigs

Abstract. During the pelleting process, conditioning temperature can influence nutrient availability and pellet durability index (PDI). However, the impact of conditioning temperature on nursery pig growth performance is variable. Therefore, the objectives of two experiments were to: (1) compare moisture percentage among three pellet mill series, and (2) quantify growth performance differences in nursery pigs due to diet form (mash vs. pelleted), conditioning temperature (low, medium, and high), and pellet diameter (4.0 mm and 5.2 mm). Experiment 1 was a 3 × 4 factorial design with three pellet mill series of decreasing capacity (medium, small, and experimental-scale; California Pellet Mill Co., Crawfordsville, Indiana, for a medium, small, and experimental pellet mill, respectively) that produced samples collected at four locations (initial, post-conditioner, post-die, and post-cooling). Three runs were completed on each pellet mill, with the shutdown of the pellet mill indicating the end of a run. Three samples were collected from each location per run, for a total of 36 samples. Experiment 2 used 350 nursery pigs (DNA 200 × 400; initially 7.6 kg) in a 28 d experiment fed two phases, with a phase change at day 14. Seven treatments were arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial design plus an unpelleted mash control, with the factors of pellet diameter (4.0 mm and 5.2 mm) and conditioning temperature (low, medium, and high). Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS (version 9.4). In experiment 1, there was a significant pellet mill × location interaction (p = 0.012) for moisture percentage. Because moisture is added via steam at the conditioner, only the conditioning location results are described. Regardless of pellet mill type, moisture was highest in conditioned samples. However, conditioned samples from the experimental-sized pellet mill had over 1% greater (p < 0.05) moisture than samples from the medium and small pellet mills. This increase in moisture is one reason why higher (p < 0.05) PDI values were found in pellets from the experimental pellet mill compared to the medium and small pellet mills. In experiment 2, increasing conditioning temperature improved (p < 0.0001) PDI. The interaction of pellet diameter × conditioning temperature did not impact (p > 0.10) overall nursery pig feed efficiency (G:F). However, for overall G:F, both main effects tended to be significant (p < 0.10), which was caused by pigs having greater (p < 0.05) G:F when fed larger-diameter pellets conditioned at a low temperature, compared to pigs fed smaller-diameter pellets conditioned at a high temperature. Regardless of parameter, pigs fed pelleted diets had 4.5% greater (p < 0.05) G:F than those fed mash diets. In summary, pellet mill size is important to consider when evaluating factors that impact pellet quality, such as percentage moisture. Increasing conditioning temperature is one method to improve PDI, but there was a tendency to reduce nursery pig G:F when feeding two phases of diets in a 28 d study. In conclusion, conditioning feed at lower temperatures may improve nursery pig G:F when starting pigs on a new diet. Keywords: Moisture, Pelleting, Starch.

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Effect of feeding peroxidized dried distillers grains with solubles to sows and progeny on growth performance and metabolic oxidative status of nursery pigs

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.2527/jas.2013-7371 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

A. R. Hanson ◽

L. Wang ◽

L. J. Johnston ◽

S. K. Baidoo ◽

J. L. Torrison ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growth Performance ◽

Oxidative Status ◽

Distillers Grains ◽

Nursery Pigs ◽

Distillers Grains With Solubles ◽

Dried Distillers Grains ◽

Effect Of Feeding

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Effects of Fumonisin-Contaminated Corn on Growth Performance of 9 to 28 kg Nursery Pigs

Toxins ◽

10.3390/toxins12090604 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (9) ◽

pp. 604

Author(s):

Zhong-Xing Rao ◽

Mike D. Tokach ◽

Jason C. Woodworth ◽

Joel M. DeRouchey ◽

Robert D. Goodband ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growth Performance ◽

Linear Response ◽

Animal Feed ◽

Average Daily Gain ◽

Fumonisin B1 ◽

Nursery Pigs ◽

Feed Production ◽

Dietary Treatments ◽

Daily Gain ◽

Effect Of Feeding

Fumonisin contamination in corn is an emerging issue in animal feed production. Fumonisin disrupts the metabolism of sphingolipids and reduces growth performance. This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of feeding fumonisin-contaminated corn on growth performance and sphinganine (SA) to sphingosine (SO) ratios of 9 to 28 kg pigs. A total of 350 pigs, were used with 5 pigs/pen and 14 pens/treatment. Dietary treatments contained fumonisin-contaminated corn (50 mg/kg of fumonisin B1 + B2) blended with low fumonisin corn (10 mg/kg of fumonisin B1 + B2) to provide dietary fumonisin concentrations of 7.2, 14.7, 21.9, 32.7, and 35.1 mg/kg. From day 0 to 28, increasing fumonisin concentration decreased (linear, p < 0.001) average daily gain, average daily feed intake (linear, p = 0.055), and gain:feed ratio (linear, p = 0.016). Although these response criteria tested linear, the greatest reduction in performance was in pigs fed with 32.7 and 35.1 mg/kg of fumonisin (B1 + B2). Increasing fumonisin concentration increased the serum SA:SO ratio (linear, p < 0.001) on day 14 and 28. In summary, for 9 to 28 kg nursery pigs, increasing fumonisin linearly decreased average daily gain and gain:feed ratio. However, despite the linear response, diets containing up to 21.9 mg/kg of fumonisin did not have as dramatic a decrease in growth performance as those fed more than 32.7 mg/kg. Further research is warranted to determine the effect of fumonisin concentrations between 21.9 and 32.7 mg/kg.

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PSV-8 Glucocorticoid receptor agonist (GRA): what is the best delivery method to newly weaned pigs?

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skaa054.279 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽

pp. 158-159

Author(s):

Hailey Wooten ◽

Hwanhee Kim ◽

Amanda Rakhshandeh ◽

Anoosh Rakhshandeh

Keyword(s):

Growth Performance ◽

Performance Outcomes ◽

Nutrient Digestibility ◽

Control Group ◽

Free Access ◽

Weaned Pigs ◽

Delivery Methods ◽

Nursery Pigs ◽

Intestinal Integrity ◽

Randomized Design

Abstract We previously found that i.m. injection of GRA, similar to in-feed antibiotics, improves measures of intestinal integrity, nutrient digestibility, and overall growth performance in nursery pigs. In addition, we have demonstrated that the mitigating effects of GRA on the stress of weaning is predominantly done by subsiding the inflammatory response that often accompanies early weaning. The objective of the current study was to explore the most practical methods for delivering GRA to newly weaned pigs. One-hundred and sixty-seven PIC pigs were weaned at 25 ±1.0 days of age (BW 7 ±1.2 kg), and assigned to fourteen treatments (3-4 pigs /pen; 3 pens/treatment). Seven treatments were tested within two sexes (gilts vs. barrows). The treatments were: 1) i.m. injection of GRA (two injections, 0.2 mg/kg BW at -1 and 3 d post-weaning), 2) two levels of in-water GRA (0.8 and 1.6 ppm), 3) in-feed GRA (2.5 and 5.0 ppm), 4) in-feed antibiotic (ANT, 100 ppm tylosin), and 5) control. Dexamethasone was used as GRA. Pigs had free access to in-feed or in-water GRA or ANT during the 1st-week post-weaning. Parameters of growth performance were measured weekly until the end of the nursery phase. A completely randomized design and repeated measurement ANOVA (PROC MIXED) in SAS were used for statistical analyses. In-water, in-feed, and i.m. GRA treatments resulted in growth performance outcomes comparable to that of in-feed ANT. Relative to CON pigs, both ANT and GRA improved ADG and G: F during the nursery phase (P < 0.05). Among the delivery methods tested, 2.5 ppm of in-feed GRA resulted in superior ADG (GRA vs. CON; 0.29 vs. 0.20 kg/d) and G: F (0.63 vs. 0.40 ± 0.05), compared to the control group (P < 0.02). Collectively, these results suggested that in-feed treatment is the best method for delivering GRA to newly weaned pigs.

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263 Effects of soybean meal level on growth performance of 11- to 25-kg nursery pigs

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skaa054.154 ◽

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 ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mortality Rate ◽

Growth Performance ◽

Soybean Meal ◽

Random Effect ◽

Fixed Effect ◽

Nursery Pigs ◽

Energy Value ◽

Caloric Efficiency ◽

Main Effects

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.

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Dietary replacement of fish meal by defatted and fermented soybean meals with taurine supplementation for pompano fish: effects on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and biological parameters in a long-term feeding period

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skaa367 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 98 (12) ◽

Author(s):

Hung Phuc Nguyen ◽

Thinh Van Do ◽

Hau Duc Tran

Keyword(s):

Growth Performance ◽

Soybean Meal ◽

Fish Meal ◽

Basal Diet ◽

Nutrient Digestibility ◽

Biological Parameters ◽

Feeding Period ◽

Taurine Supplementation ◽

Fermented Soybean

Abstract A 16-wk growth trial was conducted to examine the effects of dietary replacement of fish meal by defatted soybean meal (SBM) and fermented soybean meal (FSBM) with taurine supplementation on growth performance, nutrient apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) and biological parameters of pompano fish. The FSBM was produced by fermenting SBM with Lactobacillus spp. Seven isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated to replace 35% or 50% of fish meal by SBM or FSBM with taurine supplementation. The diets are denoted as follows: FM, SBM35, SBM35T, FSBM35T, SBM50, SBM50T, and FSBM50T. The FM (the basal diet) contained fish meal as a main source of dietary protein. Taurine was supplemented to SBM35T, FSBM35T, SBM50T, and FSBM50T at the level of 15 g/kg diet. Pompano juveniles with an initial body weight (BW) of 80 g reared in floating net cages were fed the experimental diets twice daily for 16 wk. Results showed that the final BW, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio of fish fed SBM35 and SBM50 were significantly lower than those of fish fed FM (P < 0.05), indicating that the replacement of fish meal by SBM at the rate of 35% in the diet is excessive for pompano. Supplementation of taurine to the SBM-included diets significantly increased growth performance and feed utilization (P < 0.05); however, these diets did not restore the performance back to a level equivalent to that of fish offered the basal diet. Meanwhile, fish fed FSBM35T had comparable growth and feed performances to those fed FM. Hematocrit values, total biliary bile acid levels, whole body lipid contents, and tissue taurine concentrations of fish fed SBM35 and SBM50 were the lowest among the treatments, but these parameters were improved by taurine supplementation and FSBM inclusion in the diet. Taurine supplementation increased lipid ADC, and SBM fermentation slightly enhanced both lipid and protein ADCs of the fish. These findings suggest that the combination of FSBM and taurine supplementation is an effective way to improve growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and biological parameters, and that FSBM with taurine supplementation can replace 35% of fish meal in pompano diets without any negative effects on growth and feed performances in a long-term feeding period.

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PSVI-1 Dietary protease supplementation on growth performance and post-weaning diarrhea of nursery pigs

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skaa054.337 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽

pp. 191-192

Author(s):

Jorge Y Perez-Palencia ◽

David A Clizer ◽

Christian Ramirez-Camba ◽

Ryan S Samuel ◽

Crystal L Levesque

Keyword(s):

Growth Performance ◽

Phase 1 ◽

Dietary Treatment ◽

Experimental Period ◽

Phase 2 ◽

Deficient Diet ◽

Nursery Pigs ◽

Feeding Program ◽

Dietary Treatments ◽

Fecal Score

Abstract This experiment evaluated the effect of dietary protease supplementation on pig’s growth performance and post-weaning diarrhea in a 43-d trial. A total of 936 weaned pigs [21 d of age, initial BW 5.87 ± 0.31 kg] were used in a 2 × 2 factorial design (2 nutritional levels × 2 protease levels). The nutritional levels corresponded to a standard feeding program and a reduced feeding program (15% lower SID Lys) and without or with protease supplementation (0.0125% inclusion). Piglets were distributed in 36 pens with 26 pigs per pen and 9 replicates per dietary treatment. Pigs received a common Phase 1 diet and experimental diets in Phase 2, 3, and 4, (0.91, 3.4, 4.5, and 24.0 kg/pig, respectively). Phytase was included at 2,500 U in Phase 2 – 4, all diets met energy and AA:Lys requirements for nursery pigs. Feed intake and body weight were determined every 2 weeks. A pen fecal score assessment was performed at d7, 10, and 14. Performance data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED procedure and fecal score data using the PROC FREQ procedure (SAS Inst., Inc., Cary, NC). No significant interactions (P > 0.05) were observed between dietary treatments. From d15 to 43 and during overall experimental period, pigs fed standard diets had greater BW, ADG, and G:F (P < 0.05) than pigs fed deficient diets (Table 1). On d7, pigs fed deficient diet had more (X2 < 0.05) soft and watery feces, and consequently less normal feces compared to pigs fed standard diets (Figure 1). On d7, 10, and 14, pigs fed diets with protease supplementation had more (X2 < 0.05) normal feces compared to control pigs. Overall, effects of dietary protease supplementation on growth performance were not expressive under the conditions of this study but protease addition benefited intestinal health of nursery pigs.

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PSVI-14 Blend of Additives in Nursery Pig Diets as an Antibiotics Substitute Increases the Growth Performance and Intestinal Health

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skab054.328 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 99 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 201-201

Author(s):

Sudario Roberto Silva Junior ◽

Rhuan F Chaves ◽

Maíra Resende ◽

Ygor Henrique De Paula ◽

Kenio De Gouvêa Cabral ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growth Performance ◽

Animal Feed ◽

Block Design ◽

Average Daily Gain ◽

Basal Diet ◽

Intestinal Health ◽

Total Period ◽

Nursery Pigs ◽

Randomized Block Design ◽

Diarrhea Incidence

Abstract Antibiotics growth promoting (AGP) in animal feed has been restricted. With this, several additives have been tested in order to replace AGP and ensure intestinal health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a blend of additives on growth performance, diarrhea incidence and cecal content microbiota of nursery pigs. A total of 576 weaned pigs (6.21 ± 1.16 kg) were assigned into 4 treatments (12 replicates) in randomized block design: basal diet without additives (NC); basal diet with 120 ppm of halquinol (PC); NC + 0,05% blend of lactic acid (3,5%), benzoic acid (2,5%), flavonoids (3,5%) (B5); NC+ 0,1% of same blend (B10). The pigs were weighed 0 and 42 days into the experiment. On day 10, one animal per pen (10 replicates) was euthanized for microbiota analyses. The diarrhea incidence was calculated by the percentage of visual pens with diarrhea, by day, in the period. The growth performance was analyzed by GLIMMIX procedure and the means were compared with Tukey test (P < 0.050) (SAS, 2009). Diarrhea incidence was analyzed by GENMOD procedure (SAS, 2009). The Kruskal Wallis test was used to compare microbial biodiversity (P < 0.050) by statistical program STAMP. The final weight (P = 0.010) and average daily gain (P = 0.001) of B10 and PC were higher than NC. Regarding diarrhea, it was observed that the B5 and B10 had lower incidence when compared to other groups in the total period. In the microbiome analyses, it was observed that the B5, B10, and PC groups had lower (P = 0.021) biodiversity when compared to the NC piglets. However, the B5 and B10 group had higher biodiversity when compared to the PC group. In conclusion, the supplementation with 0,1% blend of additives can be a substitute for AGP.

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268 In-feed Antibiotics Elicit Intestinal Integrity Modifications Early in Post-weaning Life

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skab054.158 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 99 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 99-99

Author(s):

Jessica M Johnson ◽

Emma T Helm ◽

Nicholas K Gabler ◽

Eric R Burrough ◽

Carson M De Mille

Keyword(s):

Growth Performance ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Phase 1 ◽

Physiological Mechanisms ◽

Nursery Pigs ◽

Ussing Chambers ◽

Intestinal Integrity ◽

And Function ◽

Dietary Treatments

Abstract The physiological mechanisms by which in-feed antibiotics improve pig growth performance are largely unknown. One proposed mode of action is improvements in intestinal integrity and function. Therefore, the objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that in-feed therapeutic and sub-therapeutic antibiotics would improve intestinal integrity and function in nursery pigs. Twenty-four weaned pigs (6.1±1.1 kg BW) were randomly allotted to individual pens and assigned one of three dietary treatments as follows (n = 8 pigs/trt): 1) control, no antibiotics (CON), 2) CON + sub-therapeutic chlortetracycline [40 ppm in feed (sCTC)], and 3) CON + chlortetracycline-tiamulin [400 ppm + 35 ppm, respectively (CTCDen)]. The study consisted of two consecutive 14 d phases. Chlortetracycline-tiamulin was only fed in phase 1, sCTC was fed in both phases. Phase 1 and 2 ADG, ADFI, and G:F were determined. After 28 d, ileal and colonic ex vivo intestinal integrity was assessed via transepithelial resistance (TER) and macromolecule flux (FD4) in modified Ussing chambers. All data were analyzed for the fixed effects of treatment and start BW as a covariate. In phase 1, compared with CON and sCTC, CTCDen tended to have greater ADG (0.28, 0.31, and 0.33 kg/d, respectively, P = 0.10) and ADFI (0.28, 0.30, and 0.35 kg/d, respectively, P = 0.09). No differences in phase 1 G:F were observed (P = 0.11). Phase 2 ADG, ADFI, and G:F did not differ (P > 0.10). Further, ileal TER and FD4 did not differ (P > 0.10). Colonic TER tended to be increased in sCTC compared with CON and CTCDen (78, 56, and 59 Ω/cm2, respectively, P = 0.07). Compared with CON, colonic FD4 flux was decreased in sCTC and CTCDen by 35–40% (P = 0.03). Altogether, these data indicate that in-feed antibiotics improve colon integrity early in production which may contribute to improved growth performance.

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