Antibiotics for Growing-Finishing Swine

The use of antibiotics in swine rations has be come a recognized practice to the point where most swine growing-finishing rations contain them . There is evidence that certain antibiotics added to rations improve the growth rate of pigs under most conditions but not always. The most commonly reported effect of antibiotics is a more uniform growth response of the pigs. Fewer unthrifty, slow-growing individuals occur in a group of pigs, and thus the average rate of gain is increased. There is usually little or no improvement in the performance of the more rapidly growing pigs. During the past few years, new antibiotic feed supplements have been introduced for addition to swine feeds. The objective of the following experiment was to study the effectiveness of new antibiotics and certain combinations of these antibiotics for stimulating gains in growing-finishing swine

Supplemental Vitamins and Antibiotics in Drinking Water for Swine

Can a balanced diet be economically provided to swine by including certain nutrients in the drinking water? Traditionally swine diets have been developed by including the essential nutrients and growth additives to the air dry free-choice or self-fed rations. Water soluble microingredients have been added to drinking water for therapeutic treatment, but nutrients have not been commonly added to water under general feeding conditions. However, the same principle is applied when water is mixed with a ration and fed as a liquid. Theoretically, feeding water dispersible micronutrients and additives in water and macroingredients in a dry mixture should support good growth and feed utilization providing the nutrient stability is good in water. Two trials have been conducted with baby pigs to determine the value of adding vitamins and an antibiotic to drinking water as a supplement t o a complete starter feed for nursing and early weaned pigs. Two trials have been conducted to determine the effects of feeding vitamins and an antibiotic in water for growing-finishing pigs