Lysine for early weaned piglets

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on January 1, 1997 | No Comments

The rapid changes occurring in the management of the weaned pig, concurrent with rapidly increasing expectations of animal performance, suggest that diet formulations acceptable in the past may no longer suffice. This experiment focused on the lysine requirement of pigs from 28 to 56 days of age. A total of 240 pigs were randomly allotted from within weight groups to pens and one of six dietary treatments, representing total lysine: Digestible Energy (DE) ratios of 2.7, 3.0,3.3, 3.6, 3.9 and 4.9 g/Mcal. A significant linear but not quadratic response to dietary lysine was observed for both rate and efficiency of weight gain. The lack of a quadratic response indicated that the level of lysine at which animal performance would be maximized, must be either at or above the highest lysine level evaluated. We concluded that the lysine requirement for maximum performance in the rapidly growing early-weaned pig may be above currently accepted levels and require further review.

Water quality and weanling pig performance

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Few well-controlled studies have investigated the impact of poor quality water on pig performance; most suggest the pig is capable of handling relatively high concentrations of sulphates and other mineral contaminants without apparent effect. However, claims from field workers suggest that under farm conditions, water quality is an important issue that has not yet been adequately addressed. Two experiments were conducted to determine how pigs react to poor quality water under commercial farm conditions. They were carried out on a commercial farm, where the well water was high in sulphates, total dissolved solids and iron; an on-site reverse osmosis unit provide high quality water for comparison. Although diarrhea was observed, water quality had no impact on weanling pig performance or nutrient digestibility. Based on these results, along with previous research, it can be concluded that pigs weaned at three weeks of age have the ability to handle relatively high quantities of sulphate in their drinking water and maintain overall growth performance. It can further be concluded that the presence of diarrhea alone, associated with high sulphate water, cannot necessarily by linked to poor animal performance.

Water quality and effects on blood and tissue

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Few well-controlled studies have investigated the impact of poor quality water on pig performance; fewer still have been conducted on commercial farms. While published research suggests pigs are capable of handling relatively high concentrations of sulphates and other mineral contaminants without apparent effect, field workers suggest that under farm conditions, the situation is different. Two experiments were conducted to determine how pigs react to poor quality water under commercial farm conditions. The animal performance results are presented in another paper in this Annual Report. However, blood and tissue samples were also collected and analysed to determine if the high sulphate and iron were affecting the pig in ways not revealed in performance studies. Similar to the performance data, the assay of blood and various organs failed to show any consisten changes due to water quality which could be associated with ill health or which could lead to production problems. These data confirm the ability of the pig to tolerate quite high levels of sulphate and iron in their drinking water without apparent problems at least within the time frame of this study. The modest changes in certain serum and tissue mineral levels, while not problematic, raise the question regarding the long term effects of exposure to high mineral levels in the drinking water.

The evaluation of dehulled canola meal in the diets of growing and finishing pigs

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on January 1, 1996 | No Comments

The major restriction to the expanded use of canola meal in swine diets is its low level of energy digestibility. There are many approaches that one might take to replace at least half of the soybean meal in their diet. In this two-phase experiment (growing phase, 24-56 kg; finishing phase, 71 a

The Evaluation of Dehulled Canola Meal as a Replacement for Soybean Meal in the Diets of Growing and Finishing Pigs

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Feeding spray-dried plasma in clean and dirty rooms

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A 28-day trial investigated the effects of feeding diets containing spray-dried porcine plasma to 60 weanling pigs (21+/- 3 days of age) in two environments designed to compare disease challenge. Environments were characterized by all in-all out or continuous-flow, onsite nurseries. From day 0 to14 (Phase I) pigs were offered diets containing either 6% spray-dried porcine plasma and 2.3% blood cells or 10% dried skim milk and 7% fish meal followed by appropriate Phase II diets containing either 2.27% blood cells or 5% dried skim milk and 2.5% fish meal, respectively. From days 0 to 14, pigs offered the sprat dried plasma diets showed improved average daily weight gain in both environments. The improvements were greater as a percentage in the continuous flow nursery vs. the all in-all out nursery. As expected, average daily weight gain was greater in the all in all-out than in the continuous-flow nursery from days 0 to 21. Average daily feed disappearance was higher in pigs offered spray dried plasma from days 3 to 7. Average daily feed disappearance was also higher in the all in-all out vs. the continuous-flow up to day 21. There was no effect of diet in gain: feed ratios for any period. However, gain to feed ratios were higher in the continuous-flow nursery from days 3 to 28. Insulin-like growth factor 1 levels were higher in the all in-all out nursery on days 3 and 14. Mean body temperatures of pigs offered spray dried plasma tended to be lower 3 days post-weaning, however, this trend did not continue. Neither environment nor diet affected health score, fecal score, total serum immunoglobulin or the humoral response to vaccination against KLH at weaning. The results of this experiment showed that feeding spray dried plasma improved growth performance in pigs reared in a slow growing, continuous-flow environment and also in faster growing pigs in an all in-all out environment.

Nursery Feeder and Stocking Rates

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Air quality and respiratory responses

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The advent of environmentally controlled animal housing has had many helpful repercussions in improving livestock yields. However, this system also has drawbacks, particularly regarding the indoor air environment of the housing area. Confinement livestock buildings have shown potential for dramatically increased concentrations of dust particles, odour, and gases. Furthermore, worker satisfaction and performance are affected by dusty and odorous work environments. Although the characterization of dust and the pathology of the health problems caused by air quality in swine building airspaces are unclear, there is little argument that dust, at typical concentrations, has an adverse effect on the health and comfort of animals and humans. Different dust control methodologies have been researched world-wide. In this study a canola sprinkling program was implemented in an attempt to reduce airborne particles and determine the effect this reduction in airborne particles would have on human subjects. It was the objectives of this study to determine if (1) air quality control strategies an be directly evaluated measuring responses of human subjects, and if (2) improved air quality can alter the human response in swine building environments. In this study 20 human subjects naA?ve to hog barn confinement facilities, were exposed to two different hog confinement building air environments. The control group experienced a typical animal housing air environment, whereas the treatment group experienced an animal housing environment sprinkled with canola oil. Measurements were taken on the environment in each room for each study day and the human response attributes measured were Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), white blood count (WBC), methacholine challenge (MC) and nasal cell counts (NL). The results of this experiment indicate that human responses can be used to evaluate air quality conditions within animal housing environments.

Protein Deposition Rates

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Dust settling using a negative ionization system

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Dust is one of the main contaminants in barn air. Dust not only reduces pig performance and contributes to the deterioration of building and barn equipment, but more importantly, affects the health status of people working in confined buildings. Negative ionization constitutes respirable dust levels in swine barn. A negative ionization system was installed and tested at Prairie Swine Centre Inc. The objectives of this study were to examine the effect of ionization on dust removal in a swine house and to evaluate the potential side effects of the electrostatic charge on building and equipment surfaces. Two identical semi-intensive (20 pens, 5 pigs per pen) growing a