Effects of Mat Feeding on the Growth Performance and Mortality of Pigs After Weaning

Three experiments were conducted to determine the effect of different mat feeding strategies on the growth performance and morbidity and mortality of pigs after weaning. Upon arrival to the nursery facility, pigs were randomized to pen. A total of 96 pens (48 feeders) with 30 to 35 pigs/pen were used for each experiment, with one barrow pen and one gilt pen per feeder. Thus, feeder (2 pens) was the experimental unit. Feeders were then blocked by group (date of placement) and randomly allotted to treatment. In Exp. 1, treatments consisted of two feed management strategies; mat feeding vs. no mat feeding. Overall, a tendency was observed for ADG (P = 0.056) with mat fed pigs having poorer ADG compared to the control group, which resulted in decreased (P \u3c 0.026) final body weights. No differences were observed in ADFI or feed efficiency. Mat fed pigs had reduced total removals (P = 0.019) compared to the control group. In Exp. 2, treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial with main effects of diet form (pellet or crumble) and mat feeding (without or with). No interactions between diet form and mat feeding were observed. No differences were observed in overall growth performance for the main effect of mat feeding, but for diet form, pigs that received pelleted feed had decreased overall ADFI (P = 0.013) and improved feed efficiency (P \u3c 0.001). No differences were observed in total removals. In Exp. 3, treatments consisted of three feed management strategies: mat feeding small (1/8 in.) pellets, mat feeding large (1/2 in.) pellets, and no mat feeding. No differences were observed in overall ADG or feed efficiency; however, mat fed pigs had increased ADFI (P \u3c 0.05), regardless of pellet size. Although not statistically significant, mat feeding the small pellets reduced the total removal rate by 2.1 percentage points compared to the control group, and 1.2 percentage points compared to mat feeding the large pellets. When combining the removal and mortality data for the three experiments, mat fed pigs had fewer total removals (P = 0.025) compared to the control group. In summary, mat feeding has limited effects on the growth performance of pigs after weaning; however, mat feeding may encourage earlier feed intake, therefore reducing the morbidity and mortality rate of pigs

Effect of Floor Feeding Creep Feed on the Growth Performance and Mortality of Pigs After Weaning

A total of 264 litters (PIC × Duroc (n = 180) or Choice Genetics × Duroc (n = 84)) corresponding to 2,497 nursery pigs were used in a 40-d trial (4-d pre-weaning and 36-d post-weaning) to determine the effect of floor feeding different pellet sizes of creep feed or lactation feed on the growth performance and mortality of pigs after weaning. Treatments were applied in the farrowing house for 4 d prior to weaning and consisted of a control (no creep feed), standard (1/8 in.) creep pellet, large (1/2 in.) creep pellet, or sow lactation feed. For each treatment, approximately 0.50 lb of creep feed per day, equally divided into 2 feedings (AM and PM) was provided on the mat in farrowing stalls. At weaning (approximately d 19 of age), pigs were transported to the nursery facility and randomized to pen within creep feeding treatment group. A total of 96 pens (48 feeders) were used, with one barrow pen and one gilt pen per feeder. Thus, feeder (2 pens) was the experimental unit. There were 26 pigs per pen (52 pigs per feeder) and 12 replications per creep feeding treatment. For creep feeding during lactation, floor feeding different pellet size creep feed or lactation feed had no effects on the percentage of piglets that consumed creep feed (eaters). For the first week post-weaning, pigs fed standard or large pellet creep feed had increased (P \u3c 0.001) ADG compared to pigs fed sow lactation feed or no creep feed. However, this was not driven by an improvement in ADFI. This resulted in an improved (P \u3c 0.001) F/G for pigs fed large pellet creep feed compared to pigs fed sow lactation feed or no creep feed, with pigs fed standard pellet creep feed intermediate. No differences in ADG, ADFI, or F/G were observed throughout the remainder of the nursery period. On a per pig placed basis, pigs fed large pellet creep feed had increased total BW gain (P = 0.024), ADG (P = 0.027), and improved F/G (P = 0.021) compared to pigs fed sow lactation feed, with the other two treatment groups intermediate. This response was a direct reflection of decreased (P = 0.050) total removal rate for pigs fed large pellet creep feed. In summary, floor feeding large pellet creep feed in lactation appears to improve nursery pig growth performance and fallout rates compared to creep feeding sow lactation feed, with standard pellet creep feed or no creep feed having an intermediate effect

Evaluating the Effects of Sodium Diformate on Finishing Pig Growth Performance

A total of 2,200 pigs (Duroc sire (PIC 800 or DNA 600) × PIC Camborough; initially 53.4 ± 0.66 lb) were used to conduct a 117-d growth trial to evaluate the effects of dietary sodium diformate level on grow-finish pig growth performance and carcass characteristics. Pens of pigs (25 pigs per pen) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design with 22 replicates per treatment. Dietary treatments were corn-soybean meal-based with the addition of none, 0.25, 0.50, or 0.75% sodium diformate (Formi NDF; ADDCON Nordic AS, Porsgrunn, Norway). Diets were fed in 6 phases from 53 to 75, 75 to 145, 145 to 195, 195 to 245, 245 to 265, and 265 to 310 lb. From d 60 to 93, increasing sodium diformate increased (linear, P \u3c 0.01) ADG and ADFI. Additionally, from d 93 to 117, increasing sodium diformate in the diets increased (linear, P \u3c 0.05) ADG, ADFI, and improved (linear, P \u3c 0.05) feed efficiency. For the overall period (d 0 to 117), pigs fed increasing sodium diformate had increased (linear, P \u3c 0.01) ADG and a tendency for increased (linear, P = 0.075) ADFI; however, there was no evidence for differences (P \u3e 0.05) in feed efficiency. For carcass characteristics, no evidence of differences (P \u3e 0.10) was observed for any criteria. For economics, increasing sodium diformate in the diets increased (linear, P \u3c 0.001) feed cost and feed cost per lb of gain in both low and high price scenarios. However, there was a tendency for a quadratic effect (P = 0.059) for revenue, with pigs fed 0.25% sodium diformate generating the greatest revenue in both the low and high price scenarios. Due to the increased feed cost and quadratic response in revenue, pigs fed increasing sodium diformate had a quadratic (P \u3c 0.05) response in IOFC, with pigs fed no sodium diformate having the greatest IOFC. In conclusion, these data suggest that feeding increasing levels of sodium diformate improved ADG and ADFI after d 60 (~180 lb) in the grow-finish period. However, it is currently not economical to feed sodium diformate throughout the entire grow-finish period

Assessment of sperm and oxidative stress parameters upon homogenization of liquid-stored boar semen in different extenders

A homogeneização das doses de sêmen suíno e a ressuspensão dos espermatozoides durante o armazenamento têm sido considerados como procedimentos benéficos para a qualidade espermática. Contudo, os fundamentos acerca dessa recomendação não estão completamente elucidados. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar o efeito da homogeneização nos parâmetros espermáticos e status oxidativo das doses de sêmen suíno durante o armazenamento. Vinte e um ejaculados suínos normospérmicos foram diluídos em split sample nos diluentes Androstar® Plus (AND) e Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) e as doses de sêmen foram submetidas aos protocolos sem homogeneização (NoHom) ou com homogeneização manual duas vezes ao dia (2xHom) durante o armazenamento a 17ºC por 168 h. Os parâmetros espermáticos foram avaliados de acordo com motilidade espermática, cinética espermática e integridade de membrana com as sondas fluorescentes SYBR-14/PI através do sistema CASA, integridade de acrossoma sob microscopia óptica com contraste de fase, teste de termorresistência a 38ºC por 30 min e 120 min, e pH das doses de sêmen. O status oxidativo foi determinado pela peroxidação lipídica, oxidação proteica, teor de grupos sulfidrila, espécies reativas intracelulares, potencial antioxidante total e atividade enzimática da superóxido dismutase (SOD). As doses inseminantes submetidas a NoHom ou 2xHom foram semelhantes (P>0,05) na maioria dos parâmetros espermáticos e oxidativos avaliados, para ambos os diluentes. A NoHom foi superior (P0.05) in most of the spermatic and oxidative parameters for both AND and BTS extenders. NoHom was superior (P<0.05) to 2xHom regarding sperm motility and kinematics after thermoresistance test for 30 min, pH maintenance, and SOD activity preservation. Additionally, better results were evident for spermatic parameters and oxidative status in AND compared to BTS, except for total and progressive motility, which differed only at the end of the storage period, and intracellular reactive species. Taking into account that no beneficial effects for sperm motility traits and oxidative status were observed following twice-a-day homogenization, its use is not necessary for storage of semen doses for 168 h in both short- and long-term tested extenders

Infecção por espiroquetas do gênero Brachyspira spp. em suínos

As espiroquetas do gênero Brachyspira são importantes agentes causadores de doenças entéricas em suínos, representando prejuízos econômicos significativos para a suinocultura. Brachyspira pilosicoli e Brachyspira hyodysenteriae são as principais espécies patogênicas para os suínos e a infecção pelas mesmas provoca colite espiroquetal e disenteria suína, respectivamente. Os agentes afetam predominantemente suínos em fase inicial de recria e terminação e provocam quadros clínicos que se caracterizam por diarreia mucoide e/ou hemorrágica, lesões muco-hemorrágicas localizadas exclusivamente no intestino grosso e baixo desenvolvimento dos animais acometidos. A frequência das enfermidades, especialmente a disenteria suína, reduziu muito na década de 80 devido a melhorias no sistema produtivo de suínos. Entretanto, a partir dos anos 2000, tem se observado uma reemergência dos casos clínicos de colite espiroquetal e disenteria suína na produção industrial de suínos, alertando novamente para as infecções por Brachyspiras. Assim, esta revisão objetiva descrever as infecções por Brachyspiras em suínos, enfocando as questões relevantes referentes à colite espiroquetal e disenteria suína, além de abordar o cenário de reaparecimento de surtos das doenças.Spirochetes of the genus Brachyspira are important causal agents of enteric diseases in swine and represent significant economical losses to swine production. Brachyspira pilosicoli and Brachyspira hyodysenteriae are the most important pathogenic species for swine and cause the diseases porcine colonic spirochetosis and swine dysentery, respectively. The agents affect predominantly growing and finishing pigs and cause mucoid and/or haemorrhagic diarrhea, large intestine exclusive mucohaemorrhagic lesion and reduced performance in affected animals. Frequencies of these diseases, particularly the swine dysentery, decreased in the 80’s due to improvements in swine production system. However, from the years 2000 there has been a reemergence of clinical cases of porcine colonic spirochetosis and swine dysentery in industrial swine production, warning to Brachyspiral infection over again. Thus, this review objectifies to describe the Brachyspira infections in pigs and to assess the reappearance of these diseases

Infecção por espiroquetas do gênero Brachyspira spp. em suínos

As espiroquetas do gênero Brachyspira são importantes agentes causadores de doenças entéricas em suínos, representando prejuízos econômicos significativos para a suinocultura. Brachyspira pilosicoli e Brachyspira hyodysenteriae são as principais espécies patogênicas para os suínos e a infecção pelas mesmas provoca colite espiroquetal e disenteria suína, respectivamente. Os agentes afetam predominantemente suínos em fase inicial de recria e terminação e provocam quadros clínicos que se caracterizam por diarreia mucoide e/ou hemorrágica, lesões muco-hemorrágicas localizadas exclusivamente no intestino grosso e baixo desenvolvimento dos animais acometidos. A frequência das enfermidades, especialmente a disenteria suína, reduziu muito na década de 80 devido a melhorias no sistema produtivo de suínos. Entretanto, a partir dos anos 2000, tem se observado uma reemergência dos casos clínicos de colite espiroquetal e disenteria suína na produção industrial de suínos, alertando novamente para as infecções por Brachyspiras. Assim, esta revisão objetiva descrever as infecções por Brachyspiras em suínos, enfocando as questões relevantes referentes à colite espiroquetal e disenteria suína, além de abordar o cenário de reaparecimento de surtos das doenças.Spirochetes of the genus Brachyspira are important causal agents of enteric diseases in swine and represent significant economical losses to swine production. Brachyspira pilosicoli and Brachyspira hyodysenteriae are the most important pathogenic species for swine and cause the diseases porcine colonic spirochetosis and swine dysentery, respectively. The agents affect predominantly growing and finishing pigs and cause mucoid and/or haemorrhagic diarrhea, large intestine exclusive mucohaemorrhagic lesion and reduced performance in affected animals. Frequencies of these diseases, particularly the swine dysentery, decreased in the 80’s due to improvements in swine production system. However, from the years 2000 there has been a reemergence of clinical cases of porcine colonic spirochetosis and swine dysentery in industrial swine production, warning to Brachyspiral infection over again. Thus, this review objectifies to describe the Brachyspira infections in pigs and to assess the reappearance of these diseases