The effects of medium-oil dried distillers grains with solubles on growth performance and carcass traits in finishing pigs

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of increasing medium-oil dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS; 7.4% fat, 28.1% CP, 10.8% ADF, and 25.6% NDF) on growth performance and carcass traits in finishing pigs. A total of 288 pigs (PIC 327 × 1050; initially 151.8 lb) were allotted to 1 of 4 dietary treatments. Treatments consisted of a corn-soybean meal control diet or the control diet with 15, 30, or 45% medium-oil DDGS, with 8 pigs per pen and 8 replications per treatment. Increasing medium-oil DDGS decreased (linear, P < 0.01) ADG and worsened (linear, P < 0.02) F/G. In addition, final BW, HCW, carcass yield, and loin-eye depth decreased (linear, P < 0.03), and jowl iodine value (IV) increased (linear, P < 0.001) with increasing medium-oil DDGS. When pigs are fed traditional DDGS containing >10.5% fat, each 10% DDGS added to the diet increases jowl IV approximately 2 mg/g; however, feeding increasing medium-oil DDGS increased jowl IV only about 1.4 units per each 10% DDGS. In conclusion, swine producers must be aware of the negative ramifications on growth performance of using medium-oil DDGS in swine diets

Effects of added Zn in diets with Ractopamine HCl on growth performance and carcass quality of finishing pigs in a commercial environment

The experiment was conducted in a commercial facility to determine the effects of added Zn on the performance of finishing pigs fed Ractopamine HCl (RAC; Paylean®; Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN). Pigs were randomly assigned to pens based on gender (14 barrow pens, 11 gilt pens, and 23 mixed-gender pens), with 25 to 28 pigs per pen. Previously, pens of pigs were assigned to treatments containing 0, 7.5, or 15% bakery by-product in a completely randomized design while balancing for initial BW and gender. On d 75, treatments were implemented to determine the effects of adding 50 ppm Zn from ZnO on finishing pig performance. A total of 1,234 pigs (PIC 337 × 1050; average BW 224.6 lb) were used in a 28-d study. Pens of pigs were randomly assigned to diets with and without 50 ppm added Zn from zinc oxide (ZnO) and balanced by BW, bakery by-product, and gender. All diets contained 5 ppm RAC and 83 ppm Zn from ZnO provided by the trace mineral premix. There were 24 pens per treatment. Overall (d 75 to 102), no differences (P > 0.22) in growth performance or carcass characteristics were observed when pigs were fed diets with 50 ppm added Zn compared with the RAC control. For pigs subsampled on d 84, pigs fed diets with 50 ppm added Zn had decreased (P < 0.05) edge belly thickness compared with pigs fed the control. For pigs subsampled on d 102, pigs fed diets with 50 ppm added Zn had decreased (P < 0.02) backfat thickness, belly weight, and edge belly thickness; a tendency for decreased (P < 0.07) middle belly thickness; and increased (P < 0.01) percentage lean compared with pigs fed the RAC control. In contrast with our previous research, these data indicate that adding 50 ppm Zn from ZnO to finishing pig diets containing RAC did not improve overall performance. Consistent with the earlier research, income over feed cost (IOFC) was numerically increased with the addition of Zn

The interactive effects of high-fiber diets and Ractopamine HCl on finishing pig growth performance, carcass characteristics, carcass fat quality, and intestinal weights

In previous research, feeding pigs high amounts of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) and wheat middlings (midds) has been shown to reduce carcass yield and negatively affect iodine value (IV). The influence of Ractopamine HCl (RAC; Paylean, Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN) on this response is not known; therefore, a total of 575 finishing pigs (PIC 327 × 1050, initially 123 lb) were used in two consecutive 73-d trials to determine the effects of DDGS and midds (high fiber) withdrawal 24 d before harvest in diets with or without RAC on finishing pig growth performance, carcass characteristics, and fat quality. From d 0 to 49, pigs were allotted to 1 of 2 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design based on initial pen weight. The dietary treatments included a corn-soybean meal–based control diet or diets with 30% DDGS and 19% wheat midds. Twelve pens of pigs were fed the corn-soybean meal control diet, and 24 pens were fed the high-fiber diet. During this 49 d period, pigs fed the corn-soybean meal diets had improved (P < 0.0001) ADG and F/G compared with those fed the high-fiber diets. On d 49, pens of pigs were re-allotted to 1 of 6 dietary treatments; pigs remained on the corn-soybean meal diets, switched from the high-fiber diet to corn-soybean meal (withdrawal diet), or were maintained on the high-fiber diet. These 3 regimens were fed with or without 9 g/ton RAC

Using mixer efficiency testing to evaluate feed segregation in feed lines

An experiment was conducted to evaluate potential diet segregation in feed lines by measuring coefficient of variation (CV) and mean salt concentration. The facility was a 1500-head gestation barn with nine feed lines, transected by a central feed line that conveyed feed from one of two bulk bins. Quantab® chloride titrators were used to analyze the chloride concentration (salt) from samples collected at pre-determined feed line locations at various distances from the bulk bins. Thirty samples were collected from three feed lines (row 1, 5, and 9), ten samples were collected from drop boxes close to the central feed line (location 1), ten samples were collected from a central location within the row (location 2), and ten samples were collected from the furthest end of the feed line (location 3). Samples of approximately 50 g were collected directly from the feed drop. The sample collection procedure was repeated four times. After the first two sample collections, a bin agitator was added to the bulk bin. There was a feed line × distance (within the feed line) × agitator interaction (P > 0.02) observed for CV. The addition of the bin agitator improved the CV in feed line 1 and 5, with no improvement observed in feed line 9. The CV observed before the addition of the agitator averaged 17.6, 18.6, and 14.3% for feed lines 1, 5, and 9, respectively, and the CV observed after the addition of the agitator averaged 13.6, 16, and 14% for feed line 1, 5, and 9 respectively. Within all feed lines (rows), distance CV was higher at locations 1 (17.3%) and 3 (17.6%), compared with CV at location 2 (15.6%) before the addition of the agitator, but was lower at locations 1 (14.3%) and 3 (13.0%), compared with CV at location 2 (15.6%) after the addition of the agitator. There was a mean-salt concentration effect (P<0.0001) observed for feed line. Feed lines 1 and 5 were similar in mean salt concentration, whereas feed line 9 consistently had the highest salt concentration. There was little to no feed segregation observed

Effect of Dexamethasone injection at birth on growth performance of pigs from birth to weaning

A total of 82 litters were used in a 21-day study to evaluate the effect of injecting litters of pigs with dexamethasone within 24 hours of birth on growth rate from birth to weaning. Experimental treatments consisted of an injection of 1 mg dexamethasone solution (2mg/mL, Prolab Ltd, St. Joseph, MO) to all pigs within a litter, while pigs in control litters did not receive a dexamethasone injection. There was no difference in growth rate from birth to weaning between pigs injected with dexamethasone and control pigs. Number of pigs weaned per litter and preweaning mortality were not different. In this study no benefit was observed in growth rate from birth to weaning from injecting whole litters of pigs with 1 mg/pig of dexamethasone within 24 hours of birth

Effects of a seaweed extract on weanling pig growth performance and immune function during an acute enteric disease challenge

A total of 95 pigs (initially 15 lb and 17 d of age) was used in a 28 d growth trial to determine the effects of Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed extract (ANOD) on weanling pig growth performance and immune function in response to enteric disease challenge with Salmonella typhimurium (ST). Experimental treatments were arranged in a 2 x 4 factorial with main effects of disease challenge (control vs. ST challenge) and dietary addition of ANOD (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0% of diet). Results suggest little beneficial effect of dietary ANOD on growth performance or immune response in the presence or absence of ST challenge

Effects of weaning age on pig performance in three-site production

Two trials (n = 5,728 weaned pigs) were conducted to determine the effects of weaning age (12 to 21.5 days) on pig performance in a three-site production system. The second trial also examined the effects of modifying nursery feed budgets according to weaning age. In both studies, wean-to-finish ADG, mortality rate, average pig gain per days postweaning, and pounds sold per pig weaned improved linearly as weaning age increased. The improvements in growth rate and mortality largely occurred in the initial 42- days post-weaning, with some ongoing growth improvement to slaughter. Modifying nursery feed budgets did not affect wean-to-finish growth performance. These studies indicate increasing weaning age up to 21.5 days predictably improves grow-finish throughput within a three-site production system

Effect of B-vitamin supplementation on nursery pig growth performance

A 35-d growth assay was conducted to determine the effect of added dietary B-vitamins on growth performance of nursery pigs (12.9 lb initial BW). The basal diet (Phase I, 1.5% lysine; Phase II, 1.3% lysine) was formulated to contain no added Bvitamins. The other treatment diets were formed by adding a B-vitamin premix (biotin, folacin, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, B6, and B12) to the basal diet with the vitamins added at 1, 2, or 4 times NRC (1998) recommendations. In phase I (d 0 to 14) and for the overall trial, pigs fed increasing Bvitamins had increased (linear, P<0.04) ADFI and improved (quadratic, P<0.04) feed efficiency. Feed efficiency was best for pigs fed the diet with B-vitamins added at the NRC requirement. There was no effect of B-vitamin level (P>0.09) on growth performance in phase II (d 14 to 35). These results suggest that B-vitamin supplementation is necessary to maximize growth performance of earlyweaned pigs; however, typical margins of safety for B-vitamins can be lowered without affecting growth performance

Effects of a quillaja saponaria extract on weanling pig growth performance and immune function during an acute enteric disease challenge

A total of 96 pigs (initially 19 lb and 17 d of age) was used in a 28 d growth trial to determine the effects of Quillaja saponaria (QS) extract on weanling pig growth performance and immune function in response to enteric disease challenge with Salmonella typhimurium (ST). Experimental treatments were arranged in a 2 × 4 factorial with main effects of disease challenge (control vs. ST challenge) and dietary addition of QS (0, 4, 8, or 16 oz/ton). The results suggest little beneficial effect of QS on growth performance or immune response in the presence or absence of ST challenge

Interactive effects of added L-carnitine and chromium picolinate on sow reproductive performance

A total of 599 sows were used to determine the effects of added L-carnitine and/or chromium picolinate on reproductive performance. Experimental treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial with main effects of added L-carnitine (0 or 50 ppm) and chromium picolinate (0 or 200 ppb). Starting on the first day of breeding, sows were provided a daily top dress containing the carnitine and(or) chromium along with the standard gestation diet. Dietary treatments were administered daily through the initial gestation, lactation, and through a second gestation period (2 parities). During the first parity, there was a carnitine × chromium interaction (P0.05) were observed in number of pigs born alive, still born, mummies, or total born in the first parity. Added dietary L-carnitine decreased (P<0.05) wean to estrus interval, and tended to increase (P<0.08) the number of sows in estrus by d 7. In the second parity, a tendency (P<.08) for a carnitine × chromium interaction was found for first service farrowing rate. Adding carnitine and chromium together in the diet increased first service farrowing rate compared to either product alone. Because of the change in wean-to-estrus interval and farrowing rate, feeding additional dietary carnitine and chromium increased (P<0.04) the percentage of sows that were weaned from parity 1 and farrowed in parity 2. When calculating the total number of pigs and number born alive based on all sows that were started on test, both added carnitine and chromium increased the number of pigs born and born alive. These results show that carnitine and chromium supplementation improved return-to- estrus interval and farrowing rate and, thus, total number born alive over two parities