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Three experiments were conducted to determine the effect of sensory attractants pre- and post-weaning on the growth performance of pigs after weaning. For each experiment, treatments were arranged as a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial with main effects of pre-weaning application (without or with), post-weaning application (without or with), and body weight category (representing the lightest or heaviest 50% of the population). In Exp. 1, 356 nursery pigs (initially 5.7 kg) were used in a 28-d trial with enrichment cubes used as the sensory attractant. A greater percentage of heavy pigs (P   =  0.007) or pigs offered enrichment cubes pre-weaning (P   =  0.044) lost BW from weaning to d 3 compared to light pigs or pigs not offered enrichment cubes pre-weaning. From weaning to d 7, a greater percentage of pigs lost weight when not offered cubes post-weaning (P   =  0.002) compared to pigs offered cubes post-weaning. In Exp. 2, 355 nursery pigs (initially 5.6 kg) were used in a 29-d trial with a powder used as the sensory attractant. Providing a powder attractant both pre- and post-weaning reduced the percentage of pigs that lost weight from weaning to d 3 as compared with providing a powder either pre- or post-weaning only (interaction, P  < 0.05). In Exp. 3, 355 nursery pigs (initially 5.9 kg) were used in a 24-d trial with a liquid spray used as the sensory attractant. A greater percentage of heavy pigs that did not receive liquid attractant lost weight from weaning to d 3, whereas a greater percentage of light pigs lost weight when they received liquid attractant only pre-weaning (three-way interaction; P   =  0.016). Across all three experiments, sensory attractant application had limited effects on the growth performance of pigs after weaning; however, varying responses were observed for the percentage of pigs that lost weight in the first 3 to 7 d immediately post-weaning. In summary, environmental enrichment with cubes (Exp. 1) appears to have the greatest effect when applied post-weaning whereas flavor attractants (Exp. 2 and 3) appear to have the greatest effect when applied both pre- and post-weaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of feeding 1,500 phytase units (FYT/kg; Ronozyme HiPhos 2,500; DSM Nutritional Products, Parsippany, NJ) when credited with its corresponding nutrient release values to growing-finishing pigs. The assumed phytase release values were 0.146% standardized total tract digestible (STTD) P, 0.102% STTD Ca, 8.6 kcal/kg of net energy (NE), and 0.0217%, 0.0003%, 0.0086%, 0.0224%, 0.0056%, 0.0122%, and 0.0163% standardized ileal digestible Lys, Met, Met+Cys, Thr, Trp, Ile, and Val, respectively. In Exp. 1, 1,215 pigs (PIC 359 × Camborough, initially 28.0 ± 0.46 kg) were used. Pens were assigned to one of three dietary treatments with 27 pigs per pen and 15 pens per treatment. Experimental diets consisted of a control with no added phytase or diets with 1,500 FYT fed either in the grower period (days 0–57) then switched to the control diet until market or fed throughout the entire study (day 0 to market). Diets containing added phytase were adjusted based on the supplier-provided expected nutrient release values. During the grower period, pigs fed the control diet with no added phytase had increased (P < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) compared with pigs fed added phytase. Overall, pigs fed either the control or phytase only in the grower period had increased (P < 0.05) ADG and G:F compared with pigs fed phytase until market. In Exp. 2, 2,268 pigs (PIC 337 × 1050, initially 28.5 ± 1.96 kg) were used. There were six dietary treatments with 27 pigs per pen and 14 pens per treatment. Experimental diets consisted of a control with no added phytase or five diets with 1,500 FYT assuming nutrient release values for Ca and P; Ca, P, and Amino Acid (AA); Ca, P, AA, and half of the suggested NE; Ca, P, AA, and full NE; or no nutrient release. Overall, there was no evidence for difference in ADG or average daily feed intake among treatments; however, pigs fed the diet containing 1,500 FYT assuming that no nutrient release had improved (P < 0.05) G:F compared to pigs fed diets containing 1,500 FYT assuming either Ca and P or Ca, P, AA, and full NE release, with others intermediate. In summary, pigs fed phytase-added diets accounting for full nutrient release values in both experiments had the poorest performance. This suggests that using all of the nutrient release values attributed to this source of phytase was too aggressive and resulted in lower nutrient concentrations than needed to optimize performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 21 litters (early or late maturing Duroc × DNA 241) resulting in 247 pigs were used in a 170-day trial to determine the effect of sire lines selected for either early or late maturing growth rates and creep feeding on the stress response, intestinal permeability, and growth performance of nursery and finishing pigs. Treatments were arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial with main effect of Duroc sire line (early or late maturing) and creep feeding (with or without starting 14 d before weaning). In the nursery, there were 4 or 5 pigs per pen and 12 or 13 replications per treatment. Thirty minutes after weaning (initially 6.4 kg BW), 7 gilts per treatment were used to determine cortisol concentrations in response to weaning. Blood cortisol concentrations were increased (P < 0.01; 104.0 v. 83.5 ng/mL) in late maturing pigs compared with early maturing pigs. After almost no feed consumption by either group on d 1, late maturing pigs had decreased daily feed intake (P < 0.001) than early maturing pigs from days 2 to 14 post-weaning. Likewise, a greater percentage (P < 0.001) of late maturing pigs had BW less than their weaning weights on d 3 post-weaning compared with early maturing pigs (Table). Thus, late maturing pigs had decreased (P < 0.001) ADG and ADFI during the first 3 days in the nursery. Creep feeding had no effect on initial performance. No differences were observed in intestinal permeability between treatments. For overall nursery performance, a significant interaction was observed for ADG (P = 0.007) and ADFI (P < 0.001), with creep feeding providing a benefit in late maturing pigs, but not in early maturing pigs. Early maturing pigs had poorer G:F (P < 0.001) than late maturing pigs. At the end of the nursery, 241 pigs were transported to the finisher and randomly placed in pens based on treatment. There were 7 or 8 pigs per pen and 7 or 8 replications per treatment. For overall finishing performance, an interaction was observed for ADG (P = 0.037), with late maturing pigs that received creep feed having increased ADG compared with the other treatments. An interaction was also observed for ADFI (P = 0.007), with late maturing pigs that did not receive creep feed having decreased ADFI compared with late maturing pigs that received creep feed or early maturing pigs whether they received creep feed or not. In summary, early maturing pigs had lower stress response at weaning and improved ADG and ADFI until approximately 100 kg, at which point late maturing pigs began to exhibit greater ADG. Late maturing pigs had improved feed efficiency throughout the experiment. Creep feeding late maturing pigs resulted in improved growth performance compared with providing no creep feed, whereas creep feed did not impact early maturing pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three experiments were conducted to determine the effect of three fermented amino acids (AA) with their respective biomass compared to crystalline AA on the growth performance of swine and poultry. In experiment 1, 315 barrows (DNA 200 × 400, initially 11.3 ± 0.69 kg) were allotted to 1 of 4 dietary treatments with 5 pigs per pen and 15 or 16 pens per treatment. Dietary treatments included a negative control (16% standardized ileal digestible [SID] Tryptophan:lysine [Trp:Lys] ratio), positive control (21% SID Trp:Lys ratio from crystalline Trp), or diets containing Trp with biomass to provide 21 or 23.5% SID Trp:Lys ratios, respectively. Pigs fed the positive control or low Trp with biomass diet had increased (P < 0.05) ADG compared to pigs fed the negative control diet, with pigs fed the high Trp with biomass diet intermediate. Pigs fed the low Trp with biomass diet had increased (P < 0.05) G:F compared to the negative control diet, with others intermediate. In experiment 2, 1,320 1-d-old male broilers (Cobb 500, initially 45.2 g) were allotted to one of four dietary treatments with 33 birds per pen and 10 pens per treatment. Dietary treatments included a negative control (58/58% Threonine:lysine [Thr:Lys] ratio), positive control (65/66% Thr:Lys ratio from crystalline Thr), or diets containing Thr with biomass to provide 65/66 or 69/70% Thr:Lys ratios in starter and grower diets, respectively. Broilers fed the positive control or Thr with biomass diets had increased (P < 0.05) ADG compared to broilers fed the negative control diet. Broilers fed the positive control or the low Thr with biomass diet had increased (P < 0.05) G:F compared to the negative control and high Thr with biomass treatments. In experiment 3, 2,100 one-day-old male broilers (Cobb 500, initially 39.4 g) were allotted to one of four dietary treatments with 35 birds per pen and 15 pens per treatment. Dietary treatments included a negative control (59/63% Valine:lysine [Val:Lys] ratio), positive control (75/76% Val:Lys ratio from crystalline Val), or diets containing Val with biomass to provide 75/76 or 84/83% Val:Lys ratios in starter and grower diets, respectively. Broilers fed the positive control or Val with biomass diets had increased (P < 0.05) ADG, ADFI, and G:F compared to those fed the negative control diet. In conclusion, Trp, Thr, or Val with their respective biomass appear to be equally bioavailable and a suitable alternative to crystalline AA in swine and poultry diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low feed consumption immediately after weaning disrupts nutrient intake and results in what is commonly known as a post-weaning growth check. While most pigs recover from this initial reduction in feed intake (FI), some pigs fail to successfully transition, leading to morbidity and mortality. Several preand post-weaning strategies have been suggested to improve post-weaning FI; however, as nursery pig mortality continues to increase across the industry there is need to optimize current intervention and management practices. Hence, we conducted 10 different experiments using 17,290 pigs. The first series of experiments evaluated the effect of mat, gruel, or creep feeding on nursery pig growth performance, morbidity, and mortality. Different sensory attractants offered pre- and post-weaning on the FI and body weight loss of nursery pigs after weaning were also assessed. Lastly, research evaluating the metabolic status of pigs when removed from general population pens was conducted which then expanded to research comparing sire lines with different growth curves to better understand the stress response of pigs post-weaning and the impacts on intestinal permeability, FI, and lifetime performance. Implementation of these strategies had limited effects on nursery pig growth performance; however, did show we can successfully reduce the percentage of pigs that lose weight after weaning, which may influence lifetime growth and removal rates. Specifically, creep and mat feeding can be used to reduce morbidity and mortality in the nursery. Nonetheless, attempts to maintain FI has minimal effects compared to genetic selection. Late maturing lines significantly reduced early nursery FI and growth compared with early maturing genotypes. In summary, nursery pig research needs to look beyond growth performance and focus on the behavior and health by nutrition interaction of pigs after weaning in order to continue identifying strategies to maintain continuity of nutrient intake and improve livability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 2,268 pigs (PIC 337×1050, initially 28.5±2.3 kg) were used in a 55-d growth study. On d 0, pens of pigs were blocked by body weight and randomly allotted to 1 of 6 dietary treatments with 27 pigs per pen and 14 pens per treatment. Treatments were fed in 2 different phases containing 1.05 and 0.89% SID Lys, respectively. The 6 treatments consisted of a control with no phytase and inorganic P from monocalcium P, or 5 diets with 1,500 phytase units (FYT/kg; Ronozyme HiPhos 2,500; DSM Nutritional Products, Inc., Parsippany, NJ) assuming supplier-provided nutrient release values for Ca and P (CaP), Ca, P, and AA (CaPAA), Ca, P, AA, and half of the suggested net energy (CAPAA+halfNE), Ca, P, AA, and full NE (CaPAA+fullNE) and no nutrient release (None). The assumed release values were 0.146% STTD P, 0.102% STTD Ca, 41.8 kcal/kg of NE, and 0.0217, 0.0003, 0.00886, 0.0224, 0.0056, 0.0122, and 0.0163% digestible Lys, Met, Met + Cys, Thr, Trp, Ile, and Val, respectively. All diets within phase were corn-soybean meal-based and contained a STTD Ca:STTD P ratio of 1.60:1. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design for a one-way ANOVA using the lmer function from the lme4 package in R. Overall (d 0 to 55), there was no evidence for differences in ADG or ADFI. However, pigs fed the diet containing 1,500 FYT/kg assuming no nutrient release had increased (P< 0.05) G:F compared to pigs fed diets containing 1,500 FYT/kg assuming either CaP or CaPAA+fullNE release, with others intermediate. Based on diet formulation and using supplier recommended phytase release values, all pigs should have had similar performance. However, pigs fed full matrix release values for CaPAA+fullNE had decreased (P< 0.05) G:F, suggesting that full matrix release values, especially energy, may be too aggressive and resulted in diets contributing less nutrients than needed to optimize performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two nursery trials (DNA 241×600) with 320 or 280 pigs, respectively (initially 10 kg) were used to determine the available P (aP) release curve for Smizyme TS G5 2,500 (Origination, Inc., Saint Paul, MN). Pigs were weaned at approximately 21-d of age, randomly allotted to pens based on initial body weight (BW) and fed a common diet. On d 21 post-weaning, pens were blocked by BW and randomly allotted to 1 of 8 (Exp. 1) or 7 (Exp. 2) dietary treatments with 5 pigs/pen and 8 pens/treatment. Treatments were formulated to include increasing aP from either inorganic P (0.12%, 0.18%, or 0.24% in Exp. 1 and 0.11%, 0.19%, or 0.27% in Exp. 2 from monocalcium P) or increasing phytase (150, 250, 500, 750, or 1,000 FTU/kg in Exp. 1 and 250, 500, 1000, or 1,500 FTU/kg in Exp. 2). Prior to beginning the 21-d studies, all pigs were fed the lowest inorganic P diet for a 3-d period. At the conclusion of the experiments, the pig closest to the pen mean BW was euthanized and the right fibula was collected to determine bone ash. In both experiments, pigs fed increasing aP from inorganic P had increased (linear, P< 0.01) ADG, G:F, and final BW. Additionally, pigs fed diets with increasing phytase had increased (Exp. 1 linear, P< 0.01, Exp. 2 linear and quadratic, P< 0.05) ADG, ADFI, and G:F. The aP release increased for ADG (Exp. 1 linear, P< 0.01; Exp. 2 linear and quadratic, P< 0.01), G:F (linear, P< 0.01), and bone ash percent (Exp. 1 linear and quadratic, P< 0.05; Exp. 2 linear, P< 0.01) up to the highest phytase inclusion. When combining the release values from Exp. 1 and 2, the release equations for Smizyme TS G5 2,500 are aP=(0.197×FTU)÷(584.956+FTU), aP=(0.175×FTU)÷(248.348+FTU), and aP=(0.165×FTU)÷(178.146+FTU) for ADG, G:F, and bone ash percent, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]