Olaquindox as performance-promoting feed additive for growing pigs

Olaquindox (trade name: Bay-o-nox, Bayer Co.) is a quinoxalin derivative (C₁₂H₁₃N₃O₄). Its efficacy was tested with particular reference to diets with and without a copper supplement. Olaquindox was included in the diet of pigs up to 54 kg liveweight, but performance was monitored between 18 and 87 kg. The daily gain and feed: gain ratio were significantly improved by supplementing the diet with Olaquindox. The response to copper was not significant. Carcass quality was not affected.     

Digestibility of a fully hydrogenated tallow for growing pigs

Improved growth performance noted in young pigs fed on a diet supplemented with fully hydrogenated tallow flake prompted further investigation of this fat source by means of a digestibility trial. The apparent digestibility of ether extractives was 0.37 and of gross energy 0.80 for a diet containing 5% of the tallow, compared to 0.66 and 0.89 for a control diet. Faeces from pigs fed on the diet with 5% tallow contained 338 g ether extractives/kg DM while faeces from pigs fed on the control diet contained 71 g ether extractives/kg DM. It is probable that the high proportion of C18:0 fatty acid in the material was responsible for its poor digestibility.     

Accidental selenium poisoning of growing pigs

Chronic selenium (Se) toxicosis was diagnosed in two groups of growing pigs. Emaciation, loss of hair, necrotic areas in the skin, lesions of the coronary band and hooves, postnecrotic atrophic cirrhosis of liver, and lumbal poliomyelomalacia were the principal findings. High Se concentrations were detected in blood plasma. Addition of the calculated amounts of sodium selenite directly to the feedstuff instead to mineral premix was the cause of this intoxication.     

Oral immunosuppressive medication for growing pigs in transplantation studies

Immunosuppressive (IS) medication is needed to avoid graft rejection in porcine transplantation models. An ideal IS therapy should have no side-effects, but increased susceptibility to infections, disturbed intestinal microflora and toxic effects on organs and tissues are commonly reported. The aim of the present study was to design an IS protocol with tacrolimus and mycophenolic acid to be used for maintenance therapy in the post-transplant period. An eligible whole blood trough value for tacrolimus was 5-15 μg/L. Conventional specific pathogen-free pigs were fitted with an indwelling catheter under general anaesthesia, and after the acclimatization period three groups were formed: group A (n= 4) received 0.15 mg/kg body weight (BW) twice daily tacrolimus and 500 mg twice daily mycophenolic acid; group B (n= 4) received 0.3 mg/kg BW twice daily tacrolimus and 500 mg twice daily mycophenolic acid; group C (n= 2) did not receive any medication. Daily clinical examinations and analyses of blood concentrations of tacrolimus and glucose were performed. Total and differential white blood cell counts, enzyme activities, bilirubin and electrolyte concentrations were measured every fourth day. At the end of the experiment, the pigs were killed with an overdose of pentobarbital intravenously and a necropsy was performed immediately. All animals seemed to tolerate the IS treatment well. No alterations in their clinical state of health were observed throughout the study and daily weight gain was similar for the three groups. The necropsy did not reveal any pathological findings related to medication. The study showed that 0.25 mg/kg BW twice daily tacrolimus and 500 mg twice daily mycophenolic acid would be an appropriate maintenance dosage for conventional pigs.     

The value of ‘Pekilo protein’ for growing pigs

‘Pekilo protein’ — a fungal protein (Oy Tampella Ab, Tampere, Finland) — was tested as a replacement for white-fish meal as the sole protein supplement in cereal-based diets for growing pigs from 20 to 90 kg live-weight.The tests were carried out using a ‘standard’ and a ‘low’ level of protein supplementation, the latter being known to be significantly below the protein requirements of the growing pig for optimum performance.There were no significant differences in performance or carcass composition between pigs receiving diets providing the same amounts of total N × 6.25 with either white-fish meal or ‘Pekilo protein’ as the protein supplement.The performance and carcass composition of the pigs receiving the ‘standard’ level of protein were significantly better than for the pigs given the ‘low’ level, irrespective of whether the protein supplement was white-fish meal or ‘Pekilo protein’.The only significant difference arising from the extensive evaluation studies of meat quality carried out was in tenderness, meat from pigs given ‘Pekilo protein’ being marginally more tender than meat from animals given white-fish meal.     

Development of a new production system for weaned and growing pigs

The design of modem housing systems for farm animals calls for cooperation between scientists within different disciplines. This article describes the design of a new production system for weaned and growing pigs, as well as the analyses and working processes behind its development. The aim of the study was to develop an economically competitive system that also provided better welfare for the animals and a healthier environment for the workers. Analyses were carried out with emphasis on behavioral needs and building design and economy. The resulting system, the “safari system, ”consists of a number of straw flow pens of increasing size. Pigs are moved to larger and larger pens each week until slaughter. The main advantage is that pigs are not mixed during the growth period and that they are given more space, especially toward the end of the growth period when their space demand is high. Furthermore, the provision of straw for comfort and exploration and of wallow basins for cooling in the pens for the larger pigs were considered significant welfare improvements. An analysis revealed that the safari system would be economically competitive in comparison to traditional intensive systems.     

Nutritional value and mercury content of fish silage for growing pigs

The dry matter content of 18 samples of fish silage prepared from fish species or prawn offal varied from 190 to 274 g/kg (mean 239). Chemical composition (mean and range, g/kg dry matter) was: crude protein 686 (487–882); ether extract 100 (53–211); ash 163 (105–319); and total mercury 1.05 mg/kg (0.24–4.05 mg/kg).The nutritional value of fish silage, prepared from Ocean perch and Nannygai, was investigated for grower pigs. Wheat-based diets were formulated in which fish silage partially or completely replaced soya been meal as the protein supplement. The diets were evaluated over the 20 to 45 kg growth phase. Half the pigs were slaughtered at 45 kg live weight; the remainder were fed on the wheat and soya bean meal diet to 80 kg live weight in order to observe the effect of withdrawal of fish silage at 45 kg on subsequent growth performance and mercury content in the lean tissue.The addition of fish silage improved growth rate (P < 0.05) and food conversion ratio (P < 0.01) during the 20 to 45 kg growth phase. No adverse effects on carcass quality were observed. During the 45 to 80 kg growth phase, when all pigs were fed on the wheat and soya bean meal diet, all produced similar performance. Over the 20 to 80 kg growth phase, the beneficial effects of fish silage on growth rate and feed conversion were maintained.Methyl mercury content in the semi-membraneous muscle of pigs fed on fish silage and slaughtered at 45 kg live weight was 0.085 mg/kg on a wet weight basis. This decreased to 0.018 mg/kg in pigs that had the fish silage withdrawn from the diet during the 45 to 80 kg growth phase.     

Nutritional values of forage-legume-based silages and protein concentrates for growing pigs

In organic pig production systems, one of the main challenges is to meet the demand for resources rich in protein. Among the resources available, temperate green plants, such as forage legumes, are potential sources of energy and protein. The aim of the study was to determine the nutritional value of silages (S) from the whole plant of lucerne (L) and red clover (R) and protein pastes (PPs) obtained from L and R leaves. In a first trial, 30 pigs were used in a factorial design to determine the total tract digestibility (TTD) of dietary nutrients and energy in five dietary treatments. The control group was fed a control diet (C1). The lucerne silage (LS) and red clover silage (RS) groups were fed a 78%:22% mixture (on a DM basis) of the C1 diet and LS or RS. The lucerne protein paste (LPP) and the red clover protein paste (RPP) groups were fed an 81%:19% mixture (on a DM basis) of the C1 diet and LPP or RPP. In the second trial, five pigs were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square design to evaluate the standardised ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AAs) in the four legume products. The control diet (C2) was formulated with casein as the sole protein source. The LS and RS groups were fed an 85%:15% mixture (on a DM basis) of the C2 diet and LS or RS. The LPP and RPP groups were fed an 80%:20% mixture (on a DM basis) of the C2 diet and LPP or RPP. Regardless of the plant species, silages obtained from L and R leaves contained less AA and more fibre than protein pastes. While the fresh forages contained the same percentage of protein N in total N (63.6%), lucerne lost more protein N during ensiling than red clover (?75.5 vs ?33.8%). The calculated TTD coefficient of energy was higher in silages than in protein pastes and lower in R than in L products (72.8, 71.5, 67.7, and 61.3 for LS, RS, LPP and RPP, respectively). The SID of total essential AA was higher in LPP than in RPP (87.2 vs 79.2%) whereas it was lower in LS than in RS (33.2 vs 56.8%). The lower SID values in silages were explained by the protein degradation during the ensiling process and a high proportion of AA linked to the NDF fraction. The results of the present study show that protein pastes obtained from lucerne and red clover are valuable protein sources for pig. In contrast, legume silages have to be considered as an energy source rather than a protein source.     

Cassava meal and cassava peel meal in diets for growing pigs

Experiments were conducted to study the inclusion of 0, 30, 45 and 60% sun-dried, ground cassava tubers (CM) in growing rations; and of 15 and 30% CM plus 15 and 20% sun-dried, ground cassava peel (CPM) in finishing rations of Large White and local pigs. Growing pigs receiving rations containing CM or CPM grew slightly but non-significantly faster and were slightly more efficient in feed conversion than pigs on the control diet. Generally, Large White pigs appeared to utilise CM better than local pigs while local pigs utilised CPM better than Large White pigs. Carcasses of control pigs had significantly higher dressing values than those of pigs on the substituted rations. Cassava meal, being more digestible than CPM, increased the digestibility of CM—CPM mixtures.     

Effects of food on drinking behaviour of growing pigs

Growing pigs do not show, in their watering behaviour, a direct response to systemic water requirements. At environmental temperatures around 25° C, growing pigs have a daily water turnover (measured by tritiated water) of 120–130 ml/kg or about 250 ml/kg^0·82 when fed dry pellets at the rate of 4–5% of body weight daily. Water intake was unchanged or slightly decreased when food intake was allowed to increase. Both reduction of food supply to half its usual amount, and fasting, significantly increased drinking and water turnover rate. The pigs, therefore, consumed more water when food was restricted; a behaviour attributable to hunger. The concept of overconsumption was supported by studies of responses to replacement of normal drinking water by quinine or sucrose solutions. Drinking of water was abolished when the normal amount of dry pellets was mixed with two parts of water (a total of 71% water) and offered to the pigs at an environmental temperature of 32° C. Drinking returned, however, when wet food (71% water) containing inadequate dry solids equal to only 2–3% of body weight daily, was provided.Behavioural observations and the turnover studies with tritiated water both suggest that water for abdominal fill was taken during the afternoon. The high water turnover rate of pigs and their reduced discrimination of water from food accord with adaptation to the wet habitats in which pigs evolved.     

Exercise and postexercise energy expenditure in growing pigs

Young pigs (ca. 10 kg) were trained to run on a motor-driven treadmill for 1 h each day. After a 2-week training period the gas exchange of exercised and control animals was measured using an open circuit, indirect calorimeter. The exercised pigs ran for 2 h in the calorimeter, and then rested for 2 h. They received a day's allocation of feed and remained in the calorimeter for a total of 23 h. The total heat production of the exercised pigs was 523 kJ/kg, compared with 433 kJ/kg of the controls. Monitoring the heat production throughout the 23-h period showed that only 43% of the extra heat dissipated by the exercised pigs was lost during the 2 h of exercise, with a higher rate of heat production for the remaining 21 h accounting for the 57% of the extra energy dissipated as heat. The results suggest that exercise increases energy expenditure well beyond the time devoted to the activity itself.     

Effect of straw on the behaviour of growing pigs

The effects of straw on the behaviour of young growing pigs were studied in two experiments. In Experiment 1, groups of three pigs, aged about 7 weeks, were housed in raised decks with or without straw bedding. Time-lapse video recording showed no major differences between treatments in the amount or daily pattern of overall activity and feeding. Detailed observations showed that bedding reduced the incidence of rooting and chewing on pen-mates, but had little effect on other social activities such as mounting and aggressive biting. Experiment 2 compared groups of eight growing pigs aged about 10 weeks, housed in floor pens with or without a small amount of straw provided daily in a rack. Pigs with straw concentrated more of their daily activity into the period when straw was fresh, but the total amount of overall activity and time spent feeding were not affected. Rooting and chewing of pen-mates were the only social activities reduced by the provision of fresh straw. In these studies, where straw was not required to compensate for deficiencies such as low temperatures or hunger, the one major function of straw was to provide a stimulus and outlet for rooting and chewing, with a resulting reduction in such activities directed at pen-mates.     

Effects of frequent interactions with humans on growing pigs

A study was conducted to determine if different handling procedures would affect the behavior, growth and adrenal gland morphology of growing pigs. Sixty-four young gilts (8–10 weeks) in groups of 4 were exposed to one of 4 handling treatments (Positive, Negative, Minimal or Aversive) for 10 weeks. The experimenter entered the Minimal pens only when it was necessary to clean the area. For all other treatments, the experimenter entered the pens for 2 min/day, 5 days a week, in order to impose the treatments. Aversive-treatment pigs were electrically shocked if they failed to avoid the experimenter. To handle pigs in a Positive manner, the experimenter squatted, allowed the pigs to contact the experimenter, and would attempt to scratch the pigs only when they appeared receptive to scratching. A treatment consisting of signals which had previously been evaluated as Negative involved remaining upright, approaching the pigs and reaching toward the pigs' heads with gloved hands.When tested for approach behavior toward a human standing erect in a small arena at 3 weeks and at the end of the trial. Minimal-, Positive- and Negative-treatment pigs approached the human more quickly and interacted with the human more frequently than did the Aversive pigs. Minimal and Positive pigs did not differ in growth rate, but Negative and Aversive pigs gained less during the initial 6 weeks of the trial than did those on the other treatments. Only the Aversive treatment resulted in adrenal morphology (increased area of cortex) which was indicative of chronic stress. It is concluded that if frequent handling of animals is necessary, non-aversive methods should be employed to avoid deleterious growth responses.     

Preference of guinea pigs for bedding materials: wood shavings versus paper cutting sheet.

The preference of guinea pigs for bedding materials, wood shavings (WS) or paper cutting sheets (PS), was studied. Animals aged 8 weeks and 20 weeks showed a similar behaviour pattern during 30 min in the light, preferring WS to PS regardless of ages. Over both light and dark periods for 24 h, guinea pigs apparently preferred WS in the light, spending much more time resting in them than in PS. In the dark, the border-crossing was significantly more frequent than in the light, and the staying time was rather longer in PS than WS. The results suggest that guinea pigs prefer different bedding materials under light and dark conditions.     

Determination of nutrient requirements for growth and maintenance of growing pigs under tropical condition

Data from 27 feeding trials conducted on growing pigs from different research institutes across India were subjected to mixed model regression analysis to derive requirements of digestible energy (DE), crude protein (CP) and essential amino acids for maintenance and body weight gains. The ranges of maintenance requirements were determined to be: DE 516 to 702 kJ/kg M^0.75, CP 6.98 to 11.62, lysine 0.431 to 0.664, methionine 0.265 to 0.458, methionine + cystine 0.327 to 0.466, cystine 0.055 to 0.184, threonine 0.205 to 0.511, arginine 0.377 to 1.21, isoleucine 0.241 to 0.775, leucine 0.604 to 1.54, phenylalanine + tyrosine 0.496 to 1.33, tryptophan 0.078 to 0.213, and valine 0.330 to 0.892 g/kg M^0.75, respectively for different body weight ranges. The corresponding requirements for 1 g gain in body weight were: DE 28.6 to 38.6 kJ, CP 0.27 to 0.44 g, lysine 0.0071 to 0.0126 g, methionine 0.0047 to 0.0133 g, methionine + cystine 0.0151 to 0.0261 g, cystine 0.0043 to 0.0094 g, threonine 0.0052 to 0.0165 g, arginine 0.0045 to 0.0301 g, isoleucine 0.0023 to 0.0198 g, leucine 0.0150 to 0.0447 g, phenylalanine + tyrosine 0.0091 to 0.0382 g, tryptophan 0.0005 to 0.0044 g, and valine 0.0061 to 0.0222 g. Regression equations had high R² values (ranging from 0.50 to 0.99 for different estimates), low coefficients of variation, low variance of error estimates and the coefficients were highly significant (P < 0.001). Regressed values were used to develop feeding standards. As the new standards derived in the present study are based on a thorough analysis of a larger database than previous Indian standards, the new feeding standard seems to be more appropriate for India and other tropical countries.     

Green kiwifruit modulates the colonic microbiota in growing pigs

Aims: To investigate whether green kiwifruit modulates the composition of colonic microbiota in growing pigs. Methods and Results: Thirty‐two pigs were fed the control diet or one of the three test diets containing either cellulose, freeze‐dried kiwifruit or kiwifruit fibre as the sole fibre source for 14‐day study. A Ward’s dendrogram of similarity cluster analysis on PCR‐DGGE gels revealed that inclusion of freeze‐dried kiwifruit and kiwifruit fibre into diets altered the bacterial community, indicating the presence of two distinct clusters. Quantification of different bacterial groups by qPCR demonstrated that pigs fed the freeze‐dried kiwifruit or kiwifruit fibre diets had a significantly higher number (P < 0·05) of total bacteria and Bacteroides group and a lower number of Enterobacteria and Escherichia coli group, as well as a greater ratio of Lactobacillus to Enterobacteria when compared to pigs fed the control or cellulose diets. Conclusions: Green kiwifruit, mainly because of fibre, modulated the colonic microbiota, leading to an improved intestinal environment in growing pigs. Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first report regarding the effect of green kiwifruit on gut microbiota using the in vivo pig model. These results provide the first evidence of interaction between green kiwifruit and colonic microbiota.     

Nutritional values of sugarcane products in local Caribbean growing pigs

A total of 24 castrated male Creole were used for digestibility studies on three sugarcane (SC) products: final molasses, SC juice and ground SC. Digestibility of macronutrients were determined in three consecutive experimental trials between 35 and 60 kg BW. The first trial measured the effect of a constant rate of incorporation of those SC products in a control diet (23% on a dry matter (DM) basis) on digestibility of energy and nutrients. The second and the third trials were designed to determine the effects of increasing rates of inclusion of SC juice and ground SC in the control diet on the digestibility of nutrients and energy. The DM content of molasses, SC juice and ground SC were 74.3%, 19.3% and 25.8%, respectively. Free sugar contents were 73.8%, 81.6% and 51.5% of DM for molasses, SC juice and ground SC, respectively. In contrast with molasses and SC juice, NDF content of ground SC was very high (40.3% DM). Energy digestibility coefficients (DC) were 99.0% and 83.6% for SC juice and molasses, respectively. For ground SC, amounts and composition of intakes differed from feed allowance as a consequence of chewing-then-spitting out most of the fibrous contents of ground SC. Expressed as a percentage of energy intake and energy allowance, DC of energy for ground SC were 68.6% and 31.9%, respectively. On an intake basis, digestible energy (DE) and metabolisable energy (ME) values were higher for SC juice (17.3 and 17.2 MJ/kg DM, respectively) than for molasses (13.1 and 12.6 MJ/kg DM, respectively) or ground SC (12.3 and 11.8 MJ/kg DM, respectively). On an allowance basis, the corresponding values for ground SC were only 5.7 and 5.6 MJ/kg DM, respectively. The gradual inclusion rate of SC juice in the diet up to 66% resulted in a linear increase of the DC of the diet organic matter and energy (P < 0.001) by 0.10% per 1% in SC juice DM. On the other hand, the partial substitution of the control diet by ground SC up to 74% resulted in a linear (P < 0.05) reduction of digestibility of nutrients and energy. Each 1% increase of ground SC incorporation rate resulted in a 0.13% and 0.61% linear decrease of DC of the energy, expressed as a percentage of energy intake or energy allowance, respectively. In conclusion, our study provides updated energy values of SC products usable as energy sources for feeding pigs.