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Three series of trials were conducted to compare performance of 21- to 28-day-old weaned pigs housed in triple deck cages. The first set of trials compared the performance of pigs housed six, eight and 10 to a cage (.25, .18 and .15 m2of floor space per pig, respectively). The second set examined the performances of animals housed in cages with three types of floors: galvanized expanded metal, galvanized woven wire and oil tempered wire cloth (quarry wire). The third series focused on the effects of feeding soybean meal starter diets containing 10% dried whole whey with (1) 0 or (2) 10% soybean hulls. In addition, performance of pigs housed in the top, middle and bottom deck was compared in all trials and was found to be similar for all decks. Pigs were progressively cleaner from the top to bottom decks. In the first series, which involved 384 pigs with an average initial body weight of 5.7 kg, body weight and accumulative daily gain were lower (P<.05) for pigs housed 10 per cage than for those housed eight or six per cage after the fourth week of the trial. After the third week, accumulative daily feed was greatest (P<.05) for pigs housed six per cage. Accumulative feed to gain ratio was higher (P<.05) during the third, fourth and seventh week for six pigs than for eight pigs; the ratio was intermediate for pigs housed 10 per cage. The results suggest that 10 pigs may be housed per 1.2 × 1.2 m cage from 5 to 12 kg and that a maximum of eight pigs may be housed from 12 to 22 kilograms. In the second series, conducted with 312 pigs with an average initial weight of 7.0 kg, performance did not differ (P<.10) among pigs housed in cages with expanded metal, woven wire and quarry wire floors. However, foot pad scores were higher (P<.05) for pigs kept in cages with quarry wire floors, indicating more cuts, cracks and abrasions. In the third series, which involved 96 pigs with an average initial weight of 5.0 kg, the addition of 10% soybean hulls to the starter diet had no significant effect on performance, fecal consistency or cleanliness score.

The influence of supplementing 0 (NB) or 440 (SB) µgbiotin/kg to corn- or wheat-based diets on toe lesions, hair characteristics and structural soundness in 116 crossbred female swine was studied from selection (100 kg) until completion of four parities. Gilts that had been previously fed corn-soybean meal diets with 0 or 220 µg supplemental biotin/kg diet during growth and development, remained on either the biotin unsupplemented or supplemented diet. Females were housed in buildings containing partially slatted and solid concrete floors. Toe, hair and soundness evaluations were made at a mean age of 240, 521, 732, 916 and 1,090 d. Type of grain fed did not influence (P>.10) any response criteria evaluated. Six types of toe lesions were observed across all dietary treatments and varied in severity from minor to very severe. The percentage of females with heel cracks, heel-horn junction cracks and side-wall horn cracks was reduced (P<.01) when females were fed SB diets. Females fed SB diets had fewer (P<.001) total lesions, heel cracks, heel-horn junction cracks, side-wall horn cracks and white-line horn cracks (P<.03) compared with females consuming NB diets. In general, biotin supplementation was more effective in reducing the number and percentage of toe lesions in multiparous sows compared with gilts and primiparous sows. Biotin supplementation increased (P<.001) the number of hairs/cm2skin and improved (P<.001) hair scores. Histological evaluation and soundness scores were not affected (P>.10) by level of biotin fed. Soundness scores were positively correlated with number of heel cracks/female (P<.05) and hair score (P<.01); however, the coefficients were low. These results indicate that foot health and hair coats of sows housed in confinement can be improved by supplementation of 440 µg biotin/kg diet to corn- and wheat-based diets.

Data from 116 females previously fed a corn-soybean basal diet with 0 or 220 µg supplemental biotin/kg during growth and development were used to study the influence of 0 (NB) or 440 (SB) µg of supplemental biotin/kg to corn-(C) or wheat- (W) based diets for gilts and sows housed in total confinement. Reproductive performance through four parities (total of 245 litters) and various sow and pig biochemical criteria were evaluated. Females fed W diets were older (P<.07) at first estrus, farrowed litters that were lighter weight (P<.01) at birth and that contained fewer (P<.05) total and live pigs compared with females fed C diets. Biotin supplementation did not significantly influence (P>.10) farrowing and lactation performance; however, after the first parity, total and live pigs/litter at farrowing tended to be larger for SB females. Conception rate at first estrus postpartum was increased (P<.07) by 9% and the average weaning to estrus interval was reduced (P<.05) from 14.5 to 10.2 d with SB. Biotin supplementation increased (P<.001) the biotin content of sow plasma, milk and liver, while sow liver pyruvate carboxylase activity was not altered (P>.10). Pigs farrowed by SB females had three- and fivefold higher (P<.001) levels of plasma biotin at birth and 14 d of age, respectively; however, liver biotin levels at birth were not different (P>.10) for pigs from NB and SB females. The response to biotin supplementation was similar for C-and W-based diets. The improvements in conception rate and weaning to first estrus and the trend for larger litters after the first parity suggest that biotin supplementation of diets for gilts and sows housed in total confinement may contribute to an improvement in reproductive performance.

Three trials, utilizing a total of 240 crossbred gilts, were conducted to study the influence of 0 (NB) or 220 (SB) µg supplemental biotin/kg of diet on feedlot performance, plasma biotin and development of toe lesions in developing gilts. Corn-soybean meal diets were fed from weaning to 92 kg body weight. Gilts were housed on expanded-metal floors to 50 kg body weight and on partially slatted concrete floors until completion of the trials. Feedlot performance, hair and structural soundness scores were not different (P>.10) between NB and SB gilts. Plasma biotin (PB) levels were elevated (P<.01) when supplemental biotin was included in the diet. Gilts consuming SB diets had fewer (P<.01) toe lesions/gilt and lower (P<.01) toe lesion severity scores/gilt compared with gilts fed NB diets. Heel-horn erosion and heel cracks were the most frequent toe lesions observed. Fewer gilts (P<.01) developed side-wall toe cracks when fed SB diets. Supplemental biotin reduced the frequency of individual toes containing heel-horn erosion (P<.10), heel cracks (P<.05) and side-wall toe cracks (P<.05) with the severity of these lesions not affected (P>.10) by supplemental biotin. These results suggest that biotin levels in corn-soybean meal diets are adequate for feedlot performance, and that supplemental biotin can improve hoof integrity, but will not prevent toe lesions.

Three series of trials were conducted to compare performance of 21- to 28-day-old weaned pigs housed in triple deck cages. The first set of trials examined the performance of animals housed in cages with three types of floors: galvanized expanded metal, galvanized woven wire and plastic-coated expanded metal. The second set compared the performance of pigs housed six, nine and 12 to a cage (.25, .17 and .12 m2 of floor space/pig, respectively). The third series focused on the effects of feeding corn-soybean meal starter diets containing 10% dried whole whey with (1) 0 or (2) 10% ground whole oats. In addition, performance of pigs housed in the top, middle and bottom decks was compared in all trials, and was found to be similar in all cases, except for feed per unit of gain in the third series, which was higher for animals on the bottom than on the top and middle decks. Pigs were progressively cleaner from the top to bottom deck. In the first series, which involved 288 pigs with an average initial body weight of 7.4 kg, performance did not differ (P>.10) among pigs housed in cages with expanded metal, woven wire and plastic-coated expanded metal floors. However, foot pad scores were lower (P<.05) for pigs kept in cages with plastic-coated metal, indicating fewer cuts, cracks and abrasions. In the second series, conducted with 405 pigs with an average weight of 6.4 kg, body weight was lower (P<.05) after the fifth week and accumulativedaily gain lower after the fourth week for pigs housed 12 per cage than for pigs housed six per cage; pigs housed nine per cage showed an intermediate rate of gain. Average daily feed intake was greatest (P<.05) after the third week for pigs housed six per cage. Feed to gain ratio did not differ between groups during any week. These results support the previous suggestions that a maximum of 10 pigs may be housed per 1.2 × 1.2 m cage from 5 to 12 kg, and that a maximum of eight pigs may be housed from 12 to 22 kilograms. In the third series, which involved 170 pigs with an average initial weight of 5.4 kg, the addition of 10% oats to the starter diet had no significant effect on performance, fecal consistency or cleanliness.

Two series of 5-week trials were conducted to compare single, double and triple deck environmentally controlled housing of crossbred pigs weaned at 21 to 28 days of age. In Series I, a single deck nursery (four-.9 × 3.6 m pens) and a double deck nursery (bottom, four-.9 × 3.6 m pens and top, four-.9 × 2.4 m pens) were compared in three trials using 360 pigs. In Series II, decks in a triple deck cage nursery (four-.6 × 1.2 m cages/deck) were compared in three trials using 96 pigs. In all trials urine and feces were allowed to pass through the pen or cage to the pit or floor below. A corn-soybean meal diet containing 10% dried whole whey and water were provided free choice in all trials. In Series I, overall average daily gain, feed intake and feed to gain ratio were not different (P>.10) between pigs housed in the single and double deck nurseries. In Series II, there was no difference in the overall performance of pigs housed on the top, middle or bottom decks. Average daily gain, average daily feed intake and feed to gain ratio were .33 and .32 kg, .59 and .49 kg, and 1.79 and 1.53, respectively, for Series I (single and double deck combined) and Series II (triple deck). Pigs housed on all decks performed well with no apparent effect on the health, appearance and behavior of the pigs.

Eleven trials involving 726 crossbred pigs were conducted to evaluate two housing systems, conventional nursery with pens (CNP) and triple deck cage system (TDC), for pigs weaned from 15 to 22 days of age. Additionally, several feed flavors were evaluated in seven of the trials. The performance of three vs six pigs per cage was compared in TDC, and the use of supplemental heat and a comparison of small vs large capacity feeders was made in CNP. A 22% crude protein corn-soybean starter diet containing 10% dehydrated whey was fed until pigs weighed about 7 kg after which a similar 20% protein diet was fed.During the first week pigs housed in TDC consumed more feed and grew faster than pigs housed in CNP with no significant difference in feed conversion. Over the entire test period there were no significant differences in feed consumption and daily gain between pigs housed in TDC and CNP. Feed per unit of gain was less for CNP pigs which may have been a result of some feed wastage in TDC pigs.Feed consumption and daily gain were less during the first week for the pigs weaned from 15 to 17 days of age as compared to pigs weaned from 19 to 22 days of age with the poorest performance for the earlier weaned pigs housed in CNP. However, when pigs weaned at the different ages were compared at an equal chronological age, there was no difference in the body weight at 7 weeks of age.Supplemental heat (250 watt heat lamp) did not improve the performance of pigs housed in CNP when the entire nursery was heated. Performance was the same for three and six pigs per cage (equal floor area per pig) in TDC. There was no difference in performance between pigs in CNP equipped with either one large two-hole 90 kg capacity feeder or two small three-hole 7 kg capacity feeders. The addition of various feed flavors to the basal diet did not improve daily feed intake, conversion or daily gain for pigs weaned at the various ages and housed in CNP or TDC.