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Databases comparing total amino acid (AA) profiles and standardized ileal AA digestibility (SID) values of 20 feedstuff's commonly fed to pigs from two sources, Evonik (Kennesaw. GA) and the Nutrient Requirements of Swine published by the National Research Council (NRC; Washington, DC) were used to observe AA concentration effects on digestibility values. Both databases reported SID swine values. The number of AA values depends on the ingredient. The 20 feed ingredients were compared from each database and were analyzed using PROC CORR and GLM procedures of SAS (version 9.4; SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC). When both databases were compared in their entirety, there was a positive correlation of 0.362 for the Evonik database and 0.349 for the NRC database (P < 0.0001) with increasing total amino acids vs. SID digestibility. There were also differences between feed ingredients in the Evonik and NRC databases (P < 0.0001). There were differences in SID of animal and plant sources (P < 0.001). When only essential AA were compared, there were positive correlations of 0.353 and 0.455 for the Evonik and NRC databases, respectively (P < 0.0001), of total AA to SID digestibility. There was a trend for differences between plant and animal feed ingredients when essential AA were being compared (P < 0.10). Four essential AA were analyzed separately across feedstuff: Lys, Met, Trp, and Thr. Lysine in both databases had a correlation with increasing total lysine and increasing SID (0.556 and 0.618; P < 0.01) forthe Evonik and NRC databases, respectively. Methionine also had increasing SID with total AA with a correlation of 0.577 and 0.666 (P < 0.01) for the Evonik and NRC databases, respectively. Methionine also had differences in SID in plant vs. animal sources (P < 0.05). Tryptophan had a correlation of 0.435 (P < 0.06) for the Evonik database, while the NRC database had a correlation for Trp of 0.544 (P < 0.01) of increasing SID with increasing total Trp. Threonine had a correlation of 0.390 (P < 0.09) for the Evonik database and 0.505 (P < 0.05) for the NRC database of total Thr vs. Thr SID digestibility. From this data, a predictor of AA digestibility is AA concentration of the feedstuff. The digestibility of AA in the feedstuff should be a property of the feed ingredient and not the concentration of AA in the feed ingredient. Differences in databases will change the cost of diet formulation. The database that is used to formulate amino acid profiles could affect the performance of the pig because of differences between databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat gluten (WG) is a high-protein ingredient (75% CP) that is commonly used in pet food and milk replacers, but not commonly used in swine diets. Two studies were conducted to determine the effect of WG on growth performance of weaned pigs, and to determine if WG is an alternative for high cost ingredients such as fish meal (FM) and plasma protein (PP) in a phase 1 diet. Pigs were weaned at approximately 21 d and blocked according to weight. Body weight gain and feed disappearance were measured weekly in each experiment. All diets were formulated to meet or exceed the 2012 NRC standards. Exp. 1 utilized 36 pigs (IW = 6.2 + 0.2 kg, 12 pens, 3 pigs/ pen). There were 3 dietary treatments: 1) 0% WG, 2) 5% WG, and 3) 10% WG. WG was added at the expense of corn and soybean meal. Diets were fed for 14 d postweaning, followed by a common diet for an additional 14 d. There were 4 dietary treatments (IW = 6.4 + 0.4 kg, 32 pens, 3 pigs/pen) in Exp. 2: a control diet (5% FM and 5% PP), 5% WG in place of FM, 5% WG in place of PP, and 5% WG replacing 1/2 of each FM and PP. Test diets were fed for 14 d, followed by a common diet for an additional 7 d. In Exp. 1, ADG in phase 1 (0-14 d) for pigs fed 5% WG (398 g/d) was greater than pigs fed 0 (3 31 g/d) or 10% WG (300 g/d, quadratic, P < 0.01). These differences were maintained when pigs were fed a common diet 14-28 d (ADG: 660, 720, and 633 g/d for 0, 5, and 10% WG respectively, quadratic, P < 0.01). In Exp. 2, pigs fed the diet with no PP had lower ADG than other treatments (ADG: 435, 423, 396, and 440 g/d for Control, WG for FM, WG for PP and WG for 1/2 FM and PP, P < 0.20). Pigs fed the diet with WG replacing 1/2 of the FM and PP had improved G:F (0.84, 0.84,0.83,0.89 for Control, WG for FM, WG for PP, and WG for 1/2 FM and PP, P < 0.02). In Exp. 2, it was concluded that WG can substitute for FM, but not PP. Results indicate that WG fed at 5% of the diet may be a cost-effective, alternative protein source in phase 1 diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lameness is a major cause of culling in sow herds. The objective of this study was to ascertain kinematic adaptations following corrective claw trimming of sows. In this study, 52 sows individually walked a semicircular (4 m diameter) and then a straight chute (0.6 m wide) system before and 1 and 48 h after trimming (PRE, POST1, and POST48, respectively). Sows were simultaneously video recorded as they passed through the straight chute and moved perpendicularly between 2 synchronized cameras. The straight chute consisted of 2.4 m each of prerecording and recording distance followed by 1.7 m postrecording distance. Sows were electronically timed walking through the recording frame, which each sow repeated until 5 useable repetitions, defined as falling within a 10% deviation of the mean time were achieved After the pretrimming videography, claws were correctively trimmed to approximately 5.5 cm away from coronary band, and then sows were video recorded at 1 and 48 h after trimming. Video recordings were analyzed using a 2-dimensional kinematic software program (Kinovea) to assess duration of swing, stance, breakover, stride length, and 3-limb support phase. Stride duration and velocity, swing:stance ratio, and both stance and breakover as percentages of stride duration were calculated. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS (P < 0.05 significant; SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC). Analysis revealed a decrease in overall stride duration (1.04, 1.02, and 0.98 s in the front and 1.14, 1.11, and 1.07 s in the rear for PRE, POST1, and POST48, respectively; P < 0.0001) and breakover (0.12, 0.11, and 0.10 s in the front and 0.14, 0.12, and 0.11 s in the rear for PRE, POST1, and POST48, respectively; P < 0.0001). Stride length decreased in the front limbs (106.5, 103.7, and 104.5 cm for PRE, POST1, and POST48, respectively; P < 0.05) and velocity increased (104.8, 105.1, and 109.7 cm/s in the front and 93.2, 95.2, and 101.3 cm/s in the rear for PRE, POST1, and POST48, respectively; P < 0.0001). The three-limb support phase decreased (47, 46, and 42% in the front and 49, 46, and 42% in the rear for PRE, POST1, and POST48, respectively; P < 0.0001). Breakover as a percent of stride duration decreased (12, 11, and 10% in die front and 12, 11, and 10% in the rear for PRE, POST1, and POST48, respectively; P < 0.001). This data supports the practice of claw trimming to improve gait efficiency of the sow, which may influence sow longevity and culling rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]