Effects of mycotoxin binders and a liquid immunity enhancer on the growth performance of wean-to-finish pigs

A total of 1,120 pigs (PIC 337 × C22, initial BW = 16.0 lb) were used in a study to evaluate the effects of 2 commercial mycotoxin binders and a liquid immunity enhancer product on growth performance of wean-to-finish pigs. Pigs were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments balanced by initial average BW within gender with 10 replicate pens per treatment. Treatments were: (1) control standard phase-fed diets based on corn and soybean meal with DDGS (20 to 35%) fed for 132 d, (2) a control diet with mycotoxin binders Biomannan fed from d 0 to 55 and T-BIND fed from d 0 to 132, (3) a control diet with Biomannan and T-BIND fed from d 0 to 132, and (4) Treatment 3 with a liquid immunity enhancer product administered through the water lines of pens continuously for 7 d every 3 wk. Both mycotoxin binders and the liquid immunity enhancer product were provided by Biotech Development Company, Inc. (Dexter, MO). The mycotoxin binder products were added in the diets at the expense of corn. Pigs from each pen were weighed as a group and feed disappearance was determined every 2 wk to determine ADG, ADFI, and F/G. Results of laboratory analysis showed that all mycotoxins tested in diet samples were below the practical quantitation limit. Overall, there were no treatment × sex interactions (P \u3e 0.50). As expected, gender differences were noted as barrows had greater (P \u3c 0.01) ADG and ADFI but poorer (P \u3c 0.05) F/G than gilts. The addition of mycotoxin binders and liquid immunity enhancer product did not affect growth performance (P \u3e 0.73) as all treatment groups had similar performance during the nursery (P \u3e 0.28) and growing-finishing stages (P \u3e 0.61). Under the conditions of the present study, the products tested had no effect on growth performance of wean-to-finish pigs.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 19, 200

Economic impact of removing pigs before marketing on the remaining pigs’ growth performance

The economic impact of removing the heaviest pigs (topping) before marketing a finishing group and the effect of topping on performance of the remaining pigs were determined in 2 studies. In Exp. 1, a total of 1,126 pigs (BW = 241 lb; 25 pigs/pen) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: topping 0, 2, or 4 pigs/pen 15 d before marketing the remaining pigs in the group. After topping, floor space per pig was 7.2, 7.8, and 8.6 ft2 for pens with 0, 2, and 4 pigs topped per pen, respectively. Overall (d 0 to 15), increasing the number of pigs topped per pen improved ADG (P \u3c 0.02), ADFI (linear; P \u3c 0.03), and F/G (quadratic; P \u3c 0.04). Revenues were similar (P \u3e 0.76) between treatments, but feed usage and cost was reduced (quadratic; P \u3c 0.01) as more pigs were topped per pen. However, there was no impact on income over feed cost (IOFC). In Exp. 2, a total of 1,084 pigs (BW = 234 lb; 27 pigs/pen) were assigned to 1 of 5 treatments. On d 0 (20 d before closeout), 2 pigs were topped from each pen excluding the control pens (0 top). Pens that were topped at d 0 had an additional 0, 2, 4, or 6 pigs per pen topped on d 10. Floor space per pig was 6.7 ft2 in control pens and 7.2 ft2 for the remaining pens from d 0 to 10. After topping on d 10, floor space per pig was 7.8, 8.6, and 9.5 ft2 for pens with 2, 4, or 6 more pigs topped, respectively. From d 10 to 20, the remaining pigs had increased (linear; P \u3c 0.01) ADFI, which led to a linear increase (P \u3c 0.01) in ADG. Overall, ADG and ADFI increased (linear; P \u3c 0.05) with increasing number of pigs topped, and F/G improved (P \u3c 0.01) in topped pens relative to intact pens. Weight discounts were highest in intact pens (P \u3c 0.02) compared to topped pens. Revenue decreased (P \u3c 0.05) as additional pigs were topped after d 10 in pens topped at d 0. Feed usage was highest (P \u3c 0.01) in intact pens. As more pigs were topped on d 10, IOFC tended to decrease (P = 0.07). Topping, regardless of number of pigs, did not affect (P \u3e 0.23) any of the carcass traits measured. Topping improves growth performance of the remaining pigs. Based on IOFC, topping 2 pigs once is the most optimal. Improvements in performance from topping more than 2 pigs were not great enough to overcome the reduction in total weight produced by the pen.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 19, 200

Effects of increasing hominy feed in diets on finishing pig performance

A total of 1,035 finishing pigs (initially 79.4 lb) were used in an 84-d growth trial to evaluate the effects of increasing hominy feed on finishing pig growth performance. Pens of pigs were blocked by average initial pig BW and randomly allotted to 1 of 4 dietary treatments (10 pens per treatment) with initial weights balanced across the treatment groups. Treatments were increasing levels (0%, 12.5%, 25%, and 37.5%) of corn hominy feed added to a corn-soybean meal-based diet. All treatment diets were fed in 4 phases, and hominy feed inclusion was constant among phases. Increasing hominy feed resulted in a linear decrease (P 0.35) in F/G. The lower feed consumption and poorer growth performance resulted in pigs fed diets containing any level of hominy feed weighing less than pigs fed standard corn-soybean meal-based diets at the end of the trial. These data indicate that adding corn hominy feed as an alternative ingredient in swine diets is a viable option; however, a decrease in performance should be considered when deciding if it is cost-effective to include hominy feed in finishing diets

Long-term exposure to sensory feed additives during the gestational and postnatal periods impacts sows’ colostrum and milk sensory profiles, piglets’ growth and feed intake

This study investigated the effect of feed supplementation in sows and/or their progeny with two sensory feed additives (FA1: limonene and cinnamaldehyde; FA2: menthol, carvone and anethole) on sows’ feed intake, body weight, fat deposition, and colostrum/milk composition, as well as piglets’ feed intake growth and feed efficiency from birth to slaughter at postnatal day 160 (PND160). During the last third of gestation and the whole of lactation, sows were subjected to a control diet (C) or the same diet containing FA1 or FA2 at 0.1% of complete feed content. Colostrum/milk samples were taken at day 1, 14, and 28 of lactation for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses. After weaning, the progeny was subjected to a control diet (C) or experimental diets with a sweetener (0.015%) but no other additive (S), or to diets with a sweetener and the additive FA1 (FA1S) or FA2 (FA2S). There was no effect of dietary treatment on sows’ feed intake, body weight, or adiposity (P > 0.15 for all), but the sensory characteristics of their colostrum/milk were modified by the diet and diet*time interaction. Limonene concentrations were higher in FA1 samples from PND1 to PND28, whereas carvone and anethole concentrations were higher in FA2 samples from PND1 to PND28. The concentration of these three compounds increased with time in the respective groups where they were mostly detected. Menthol concentrations were higher in FA2 samples at PND14 and PND28, but there was no time effect. Overall, cinnamaldehyde was always below the detection range. Piglets born from FA1 and FA2 sows had higher body weight (P = 0.034 at PND160), average daily gain (ADG P = 0.036 for PND0-160), and average daily feed intake (ADFI P = 0.006 for PND28-160) than piglets born from C sows. Overall, piglets that were never exposed to FA or only after weaning had lower ADG (P = 0.030 for PND0-160) and ADFI (P = 0.016 for PND28-160) than piglets that were exposed to FA only via the maternal diet, the condition combining both pre- and post-natal exposure being intermediary. In conclusion, FA1 and FA2 provided to gestating and lactating sows increased the progeny’s feed intake and growth, suggesting nutritional programming and/or sensory conditioning during the perinatal period. Addition of FA only in the progeny’s diet was not beneficial