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A three-trial experiment using 3- to 4-wk-old newly weaned pigs was conducted to evaluate the possible interaction between a 16-h reduced nocturnal temperature regimen (RNT16) and a lowered nursery diet lysine regimen on weaned pig and subsequent growing-finishing performance. Nursery temperature treatments were 1) a control temperature (CT) regimen of 30 degrees C constant air temperature lowered 2 C degree/wk and 2) a regimen beginning 1 wk after weaning in which the temperature from 1600 to 0800 was lowered 6 C degree from CT. Within each temperature treatment, all pigs were offered a diet containing 1.20% lysine for the 1st wk after weaning followed by 1.20 or 1.10% lysine to 10.5 kg and 1.00 or .90% lysine to 20 kg. There was no interaction of temperature regimen and diet on overall nursery performance. The RNT16 pigs had improved (P = .1) ADG (.351 vs .342 kg/d) with no difference (P > .1) in ADFI (.693 vs .680 kg/d) or G:F (.508 vs .506) compared with CT. Pigs fed the lower lysine sequence had poorer (P < .0001) ADG (.333 vs .360 kg/d) and G:F (.487 vs .527) than controls. There was also no effect (P > .1) of RNT16 vs CT on subsequent performance to slaughter weight for ADG (.770 vs .755 kg/d) or G:F (.309 vs .311). There was also no effect (P > .1) of a lowered nursery lysine sequence compared to control on growing-finishing ADG (.768 vs .757 kg/d) or G:F (.312 vs .309).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Three experiments using 864 crossbred feeder pigs were conducted to determine the effects of fat sources and a feed flavor in 3-wk receiving diets and a reduced nocturnal temperature regimen on commingled feeder pig performance. In Exp. 1, there was no response to a feed flavor on overall ADG or ADFI. Commingled pigs offered receiving diets containing 5% blended vegetable oil (5B) or 5% tallow (5T) did not differ in overall ADG (.61, .63 vs .61 kg/d) and gain:feed (.315, .307, .310) compared with pigs offered corn-soy diets. In Exp. 2, pigs offered corn-soy receiving diets containing 0, 2, 4, or 6% (C2, 2B, 4B or 6B) of a blended vegetable oil had a cubic (P < .075) response for overall ADG (.67, .68, .66, and .69 kg/d) and linear (P < .075) response for gain:feed (.309, .307, .316, and .317). Four percent tallow (4T), compared with 4B and 4% soybean oil (4SO), improved (P < .1) overall ADFI (2.24 vs 2.10 + 2.14 kg/d) with no effect on overall ADG. In Exp. 3, 4B compared with 4T and 4% yellow grease (4YG) resulted in a slower (P < .01) overall ADG (.63 vs .68 + .65 kg/d) with no difference in ADFI or gain:feed. When pooled across Exp. 2 and 3, there was no effect of a reduced nocturnal temperature (RNT) regimen imposed beginning 1 wk after arrival vs a constant temperature control regimen on overall ADG (.65 vs .67 kg/d) and gain:feed (.303 vs .304). When pooled across Exp. 2 and 3, pigs fed 4T had a better (P < .0005) overall ADG than pigs fed 4B (.68 vs .65 kg/d). These results suggest a differential response on overall performance due to fat sources in commingled feeder pig diets. The results do not support the use of the feed flavor tested or RNT to stimulate performance.

Two experiments, each consisting of three trials and using 3- to 4-wk-old newly weaned pigs, were conducted to evaluate the effects of two reduced nocturnal temperature regimens on weaned pig and subsequent growing-finishing performance and nursery energy (propane and electricity) use. In Exp. 1, nursery treatments were 1) a control temperature (CT) regimen of 30 degrees C constant air temperature lowered 2C degrees/wk and 2) a regimen for pigs in pens with hovers (MRNT-H) in which the temperature from 1900 to 0700 beginning 1 wk after weaning was lowered 6 C degrees from the 0700 to 1900 temperature setting, which was 3C degrees lower than CT. The nursery temperature treatments in Exp. 2 were 1) CT and 2) a 10C degrees reduction in air temperature (MRNT10) from 1900 to 0700 from CT beginning 1 wk after weaning. In addition, within each temperature, diet sequences of 1.2% lysine for 3 wk followed by 1.0% lysine vs 1.15% lysine offered continuously were evaluated. In Exp. 1, there was no effect (P greater than .1) of temperature on feed intake but ADG decreased (P less than .001) in two of the three trials for MRNT-H vs CT and feed/gain worsened (P less than .05) in all trials. In Exp. 2, there was no difference between MRNT10 and CT for ADG and feed/gain. No interaction was observed between nursery diet and temperature regimen for weaned pig performance. There was no effect (P greater than .1) in either experiment of nursery temperature on subsequent growing-finishing performance. Overall energy savings comparing the MRNT-H and CT treatments were 68 MJ per weaned pig. Energy savings for Exp. 2 were 79 MJ per weaned pig. Application of cyclical temperatures in a controlled manner can result in energy savings of approximately $50 per pig weaned under the conditions of these experiments.

A four-trial experiment utilizing 3- to 4-wk-old newly weaned pigs was conducted to evaluate the effect of a modified reduced nocturnal (MRNT) nursery temperature regimen on weaned pig and subsequent grower-finisher performance. Nursery treatments were 1) a control temperature (CT) regimen of 30 degrees C constant air temperature lowered 2 degrees C/wk and 2) a regimen beginning 1 wk after weaning in which the temperature from 1900 to 0700 was lowered 6 degrees C from CT. Weaned pigs gained faster (P less than .01) in the MRNT treatment than in the CT treatment, with gains in Trials 1, 2, 3 and 4 being .39 vs .37, .28 vs .27, .38 vs .37 and .39 vs .36 kg/d, respectively. This improvement in gain was due to an increase (P less than .005) in feed intake for the same periods (.60 vs .58; .48 vs .42; .59 vs .58; .63 vs .58 kg/d). There was no difference in feed conversion (P greater than .1). There was no effect (P greater than .1) of MRNT vs CT on subsequent performance to slaughter weight for average daily gain (.69 vs .69 kg/d), average daily feed (2.22 vs 2.23 kg/d) or gain/feed (.31 vs .31). These results support the conclusions that weaned pigs eat more feed and gain faster with a reduced nocturnal temperature scheme and that there are no carry-over effects during the growing-finishing phase.