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- Title
Growth performance of pigs fed diets supplemented with an ammoniated formic acid (FA) solution.
- Authors
Harper, A. F.; Estienne, M. J.; Miettinen, H.
- Abstract
Crossbred weanling pigs (n = 120, 19 ± 3 d of age) were used to assess the growth response to dietary inclusion of FA (62 % formic acid, 37 % ammonium formate). Based on weaning weight and ancestry, pigs were assigned to blocks consisting of three pens of five barrows each and three pens of five gilts each (four total blocks). Within block and sex, pens were randomly assigned to receive the following dietary treatments: 1) control diet during the nursery period (d 1 to 36) and control diet during the growing-finishing period, 2) control diet during the nursery period and 0.8 % FA during the growing-finishing period, or 3) 1 % FA during the nursery period and 0.8 % FA during the growing-finishing period. Thus, there were a total of four gilt pens and four barrow pens per treatment. Pigs were weighed off-study as intact blocks at approximately 116 kg BW. Diets were un-medicated and fed in two formulation phases during the nursery period and four formulation phases during the grower-finisher period. Feed and water were available ad libitum. Health of the pigs was excellent with no mortality and no pigs removed for veterinary reasons. During the nursery period there was no sex effect on ADG, ADfior G:F (P > 0.24). There were no effects of diet on ADG or ADfi(P > 0.13), however, a trend (P = 0.064) for improved feed efficiency with FA was observed with control pigs having G:F of 0.627 ± 0.008 compared to 0.643 ± 0.008 for the FA-supplemented pigs. For the nursery and grower-finisher periods combined, barrows had greater ADfiand ADG than gilts (P < 0.003) with no difference in G:F (P = 0.19). There was no effect of dietary treatment on ADG, ADfior G:F (P > 0.51) and no sex by diet interaction (P > 0.63). Under the conditions of this study, supplementing FA showed a trend for improved feed efficiency during the nursery period but did not influence overall performance from weaning to market weight.
- Subjects
FORMIC acid; DIETARY supplements; SWINE; TREATMENT effectiveness; SOWS; PLANT nurseries; FISH food
- Publication
Journal of Animal Science, 2006, Vol 84, p43
- ISSN
0021-8812
- Publication type
Article