Application of Feed Additive Technologies to Enhance Health and Performance of Forage-fed Cattle

A total of 260 cows and 7 cannulated steers were used in four studies to the effects of Bio-Mos, monensin, and slow release urea on cow and calf performance, passive immunity, and in situ digestibility. All experiments were conducted at the Oklahoma State University North Range unit using Angus and Angus X Hereford cows and crossbred steers. All experimental diets were fed as a protein supplement containing at least 38% crude protein and: 10 g/head/d of Bio-Mos, 200 mg/head/d of monensin (cows), 250 mg/head/d monensin (steers), and 526 g of slow release urea. Feeding cows Bio-Mos in late gestation did not improve the transfer of passive immunity to the calf (P > 0.19), or calf growth performance (P > 0.43), but it improved cow BCS change for the trial duration (P = 0.05). Cows consuming monensin during late gestation and lactation did not have improved performance (P > 0.19) or milk yield (P > 0.41); however, calves born to cows consuming monensin had greater ADG from birth to the end of the feeding period (P = 0.04). Monensin also did not improve blood glucose of the cow two hours after eating (P > 0.16). When fed to steers, monensin tended to reduce DMI (P = 0.07), and increased digestibility of NDF, ADF, and DM (P < 0.01). It also significantly increased (P = 0.01) propionate at the expense of acetate and propionate indicating that steers had improved energetic efficiency from consuming monensin. Combining monensin and slow-release urea appeared to lessen the BW loss among cows consuming only slow release urea. Replacing a portion of the cottonseed meal with slow release urea did not reduce animal performance, or digestibility, making it a valid and less expensive replacement for true protein in the winter cow supplementation program. Calf growth performance is improved by feeding cows monensin, making it an effective dietary option for improving preweaning efficiency.Animal Scienc

Effects of dried distillers grain with solubles on nursery pig performance

A total of 482 pigs (initial BW of 21.9 lb) were used in a 22-d study to determine the effects of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) on growth performance of nursery pigs reared in a commercial environment. Pigs were allotted to one of two dietary treatments based on corn-soybean meal and containing either 0 or 10% DDGS. There was a tendency for pigs fed the diet containing 10% DDGS to have decreased (P0.21). For economic analysis, the DDGS price was compared at $109,$93, or $80/ton. There were no differences in feed cost per pound of gain in diets containing DDGS at the three price levels (P>0.29). Pigs fed the diets containing 10$0.52, $0.54, and$0.56), regardless of DDGS price ($106,$93, or $80/ton, respectively). Although only a trend for decreased ADG was observed, feeding diets containing DDGS was less economical, as measured by margin over feed costs

A review of oxytocin use for sows and gilts

Swine research, 2005 is known as Swine day, 2005Oxytocin is frequently used to decrease farrowing time and birth interval as an aid to prevent stillbirths, but recent research has shown that oxytocin use can increase the number of pigs stillborn when used too early in the birth process. The research indicated that the reason for increased stillbirths was an increased number of ruptured umbilical cords, leading to compromise of the pigs’ oxygen supply during the birth process. Oxytocin usage should be limited to older-parity sows and the last half of the birth order

The effects of frequent out-of-feed events on growth performance of nursery, growing, and finishing pigs

An “out-of-feed” event is defined as a period of time that pigs do not have access to feed as a result of late feed delivery (feeders running empty) or bridging of bulk bins, feed lines, or feeders. To determine the effects of these out-of-feed events on pig growth performance, nursery and growing-finishing pig studies were conducted. In Exp. 1, 190 pigs (initial wt 14.0 lb) were allotted to one of four experimental treatments. Treatments included a 20-hour feed withdrawal for 1, 2, or 3 randomly selected times during the 35-d trial or a control treatment in which feeders were never withdrawn. Feeders were withdrawn on d 11 for pigs with 1 out-of-feed event, d 8 and 23 for pigs with 2 out-of-feed events, and d 9, 14, and 20 for pigs with 3 out-of-feed events. Throughout the study, the week in which an out-of-feed event occurred, ADG and ADFI were decreased (P<0.06), compared with those of control pigs. In some instances, if the out-of-feed event occurred early in the week, pig growth performance was intermediate to that of control pigs and the other pigs with an out-of-feed event later in the week. In the following week, however, pigs that had an outof- feed event in the previous week had improved ADG and F/G, compared with performance of the others. For the overall study, there were no differences in growth performance among pigs with 0, 1, 2, or 3 out-of-feed events. In Exp. 2, 479 growing-finishing pigs were used in an 85-d trial in a commercial finishing barn to determine the effects of frequency and timing of out-of-feed events on pig performance. Treatments included feed withdrawal (20 h) weekly for the duration of the trial, feed withdrawn weekly from d 45 to 85 (market wt), or a control treatment in which pigs had access to feed for the duration of the trial. Feed withdrawal occurred on a randomly selected day, with the exception of Saturday, Sunday, or a day before a weigh day (usually a Wednesday every other week). There were no differences (P>0.13) in growth performance throughout the 85-d trial. With weekly out-of-feed events in the finishing phase, there is a possibility that pigs may quickly learn to adjust their feed intake for the out-of-feed event. In this study, however, results suggest that out-of-feed events (20 h or less) will have no long-term effects on growth performance in nursery or growing-finishing pigs

Isoleucine in segregated early weaning and transition diets

Two studies were conducted to test the effect of isoleucine amount and source on nursery pig performance. In Exp. 1, a total of 194 pigs were used in a 10-d study in a research facility to test the effects of isoleucine rate in high or low lysine diets. Dietary treatments included either high or low lysine and high or low isoleucine in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. High-lysine diets were formulated to 1.56% TID lysine, and low-lysine diets were formulated to 1.30% TID lysine. Highisoleucine diets contained approximately 60% TID isoleucine:lysine, whereas low-isoleucine diets contained approximately 49% isoleucine: lysine. Overall (d 0 to 10), there were no significant lysine by isoleucine interactions (P<0.23). From d 0 to 5, pigs fed diets containing high lysine had higher (P<0.02) ADG and tended to have higher (P<0.09) ADFI, compared with performance of pigs fed diets containing low lysine. Also, pigs fed diets containing high isoleucine had a weak tendency for higher (P<0.17) ADG and ADFI, compared with performance of pigs fed diets containing low isoleucine, because pigs fed high isoleucine and low lysine gained and ate more than pigs fed low isoleucine and low lysine. Overall (d 0 to 10), pigs fed diets containing high lysine had higher (P<0.01) ADG and improved (P<0.01) F/G, compared with performance of pigs fed diets containing low lysine. There was a weak tendency to have improved (P<0.18) ADFI for pigs fed diets containing either high lysine or high isoluecine. In Exp. 2, a total of 1,540 pigs were used in a 21-d growth assay in a commercial facility to test the effects of increased dietary L-isoleucine from different isoleucine sources on nursery pig performance. Treatments included: control (standard SEW and transition diets) or the control with increased isoleucine from added L-isoleucine, soybean meal, wheat gluten, or poultry meal. During the SEW period (d 0 to 5), pigs fed diets containing added L isoleucine had better (P<0.05) ADG than did pigs fed the control or diets containing added soybean meal. Also, pigs fed the diet containing wheat gluten had better (P<0.05) ADG than did pigs fed added soybean meal. Pigs fed diets containing added L-isoleucine had better (P<0.05) F/G than did pigs fed the control or diets containing added soybean meal. Also, pigs fed diets containing wheat gluten had better (P<0.05) F/G than did pigs fed added soybean meal. During the transition period (d 5 to 10), pigs fed diets containing poultry meal had lower (P<0.05) ADG than did pigs fed the control diet or added soybean meal. Also, pigs fed diets containing added soybean meal had better (P<0.05) F/G than did pigs fed diets with added L-isoleucine or poultry meal. From d 0 to 10, there were no differences in ADG or ADFI between treatments; nonetheless, F/G was better (P<0.05) for pigs fed added soybean meal than for pigs fed the control diet. Overall (d 0 to 21), there were no differences in ADG or ADFI between treatments, but F/G was better (P<0.05) for pigs fed diets with added soybean meal or wheat gluten than for pigs fed diets containing added L-isoleucine. For the economic analysis, pigs fed the diets containing wheat gluten had higher (P<0.05) cost per pound of gain from d 0 to 5, d 5 to 10, and d 0 to 10 than did pigs fed all other diets. From d 0 to 5, margin over feed was higher (P<0.05) for the diets with added L-isoleucine or poultry meal, compared with the diet containing wheat gluten. From d 5 to 10, margin over feed was higher (P<0.05) for diets containing added soybean meal than for diets containing wheat gluten, added Lisoleucine, or poultry meal. From d 0 to 10, margin over feed was lowest (P<0.05) for the diet containing wheat gluten, compared with all other diets. These studies indicate that maintaining an adequate amount of isoleucine is critical in diets immediately after weaning, and the addition of L-isoleucine is an economical means of increasing isoleucine in the SEW diet to improve performance

Influence of nutridense low phytate corn and added fat on growing-finishing pig growth performance

Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of NutriDense Low Phytate corn in conjunction with increasing amounts of added fat on growing and finishing pig performance. NutriDense Low Phytate corn is similar to NutriDense corn, but with greater available phosphorus content because it has less phytate phosphorus. Both experiments were conducted at a commercial swine research facility in southwest Minnesota. In Exp. 1, 1,162 gilts (initially 98.3 lb) were used in a 28-d study. Pigs were blocked by weight, and were randomly allotted to one of six dietary treatments. Pigs were fed diets based on corn-soybean meal with yellow dent (YD) or NutriDense Low Phytate corn and 0, 3, or 6% added fat, in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement. A constant true ileal digestible (TID) lysine:energy ratio of 2.80 g TID lysine:Mcal ME was maintained in all diets, as well a constant available P:energy ratio of 0.90 g/Mcal. Overall (d 0 to 28), there were no corn source × fat content interactions (P>0.79). Regardless of corn source, ADG and F/G improved linearly (P<0.03, and P<0.01, respectively) as the amount of fat increased in the diet. There were no differences in growth performance between pigs fed diets containing NutriDense Low Phytate and those fed YD corn. In Exp. 2, a total of 1,128 gilts (initially 180.0 lb) were used in a 28-d growth assay. Pigs were blocked, and were randomly allotted to one of six dietary treatments. Pigs were fed similarly to those in Exp. 1, with diets based on corn-soybean meal, using either NutriDense Low Phytate or YD corn and 0, 3, or 6% added fat. A constant TID lysine:energy ratio of 2.15 g/Mcal ME was maintained in all diets, as well as a constant available P:energy ratio of 0.75 g/Mcal. Overall (d 0 to 28), there was a tendency for a corn source × fat content interaction for F/G (P<0.07), which was a result of pigs fed YD corn having improved F/G only at 6% added fat, whereas improvements were seen in pigs fed NutriDense Low Phytate at both 3 and 6% added fat. Also, there was an improvement in ADG (linear P<0.01) and F/G (linear, P<0.01) as the amount of fat increased in the diet, regardless of corn source. There was no difference in growth performance between pigs fed diets containing NutriDense Low Phytate and those fed YD corn. These studies indicate that increasing amounts of added fat improved growth performance, regardless of corn source. Pig growth performance is similar for pigs fed NutriDense Low Phytate corn and fed YD corn, although NutriDense Low Phytate corn does have the advantage of having higher amino acid concentrations and less phytate phosphorus

Effects of dried distillers grain with solubles on growing-finishing pig performance

Three experiments were conducted to determine the effects of increasing dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS) on growth performance and palatability in growing-finishing pigs. In Exp. 1, a total of 1,050 pigs (initially 104.9 lb) were used in a 28-d study in May 2002. Pigs were fed diets with either 0 or 15% DDGS and 0, 3, or 6% added fat, for a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement. Overall, there were no DDGS × fat content interactions (P = 0.20). There was an improvement (linear, P<0.01) in ADG and F/G with increasing added fat and no difference in growth performance between pigs fed 0 or 15% DDGS. In Exp. 2, a total of 1,038 pigs (initially 102.1 lb) were used in a 56-d study in August 2005. Pigs were fed diets with either 0, 10, 20, or 30% DDGS from the same ethanol plant as in Exp. 1. Overall (d 0 to 56), there was a trend for decreased ADG (linear, P<0.10) and ADFI (linear, P<0.06) as DDGS increased. The greatest reduction occurred in pigs fed more than 10% DDGS. In Exp. 3, a total of 120 growing pigs (initially 48.7 lb) were used in a 21-d feed preference study in October 2005. Pigs were randomly allotted to a pen with 4 feeders, each containing a separate dietary treatment. Pigs were offered diets based on corn-soybean meal, with 0, 10, 20, or 30% DDGS from the same source as in Exp. 1 and 2. For all periods (d 0 to 7, 7 to 21, and 0 to 21), there was a decrease in ADFI (quadratic, P<0.01) as DDGS increased in the diet. The most dramatic decrease was observed between 0 and 10% DDGS. Experiment 1 showed no difference in growth performance in pigs fed 0 or 15% DDGS. In Exp 2, at DDGS contents higher than 10%, there were trends for decreased ADG and ADFI; in Exp. 3, ADFI decreased with increasing DDGS in the diet. In summary, DDGS from the ethanol plant tested can be used at 10 to 15% in finishing diets without reducing pig performance. Higher percentages of DDGS in the diet decreased ADFI in growing and finishing pigs

Effects of dried distillers grains with solubles on growth performance and fat quality of finishing pigs

A total of 1,112 pigs were used in a 78-d growth assay evaluating the effects of increasing dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS, 0, 5, 10, 15, or 20%) on pig growth performance and carcass characteristics. At the end of the trial, jowl fat, belly fat, and backfat samples were collected and analyzed for fatty acid profile and iodine value (IV). From d 0 to 78, ADG and ADFI decreased (linear; P0.22) in loin depth, but increasing DDGS tended to decrease (P<0.09) backfat and fat-free lean index (FFLI). Backfat, jowl fat, and belly fat iodine values and percentage C 18:2 fatty acids increased (linear, P<0.02) with increasing DDGS in both the “topped” pigs marketed 21 d before trial conclusion and pigs marketed at trial completion. Increasing DDGS decreased (linear, P<0.05) percentage saturated fatty acids in backfat and belly fat in both marketing groups and percentage saturated fatty acids in jowl fat with increasing DDGS in the diet in the pigs marketed at trial completion. Barrows had decreased (P<0.04) belly fat iodine values and percentage 18:2 fatty acids when compared to gilts. Barrows also had increased (P<0.05) jowl fat and belly fat percentage 18:2 fatty acids when compared to gilts. Based on these results and previous research trials, dried distillers grain with solubles from this source can be fed up to 15% before seeing reductions in ADG; however, the increase in iodine value and decrease in dressing percentage must be considered in determining the economic value of DDGS