Standardized ileal digestible tryptophan and lysine affects the eating and sleeping behavior of 15-30 kg barrows

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of standardized ileal digestible (SID) tryptophan (Trp) and lysine (Lys) levels on eating and sleeping behavior and the respective feed intake of barrows. Sixty-four pigs, averaging 15.00 ± 1.63 kg of initial body weight, were used and distributed in a randomized blocks design, in a 4 × 4 factorial scheme, consisting of four levels of SID Trp (0.155, 0.185, 0.215, 0.245%) and four levels of SID Lys (0.972, 1.112, 1.252, and 1.392%). Behavior evaluation was performed by an instantaneous sampling using 10-min intervals during 24 h, at each 7 days (days 7, 14, and 21), and each day was divided into four times of 6 h each one (08:30-14:20, 14:30-20:20, 20:30-02:20, and 02:30-08:20 h), during all the experimental period, yielding a total of 3 × 24 h behavior recordings (72 h) × 6 10-min intervals, totalizing 432 observations per animal. Data were analyzed by classifying behavior into eating or sleeping. All these behaviors were measured in order to obtain the estimated frequency of the eating and sleeping behaviors. Changes were observed (P<0.05) for all the behavioral parameters during the starting phase. SID Trp and SID Lys showed an interactive positive effect on the estimated frequency of eating behavior, and mainly SID Trp increased the estimated frequency of the sleeping behavior of starting pigs in the nocturnal time. Pig diets with increasing levels of SID Trp and SID Lys until 0.245 and 1.392%, respectively, increased the average daily feed intake, and the interaction of the amino acids increased the estimated frequency of eating behavior during all the starting phase, and mainly the increasing levels of SID Trp increased the estimated frequency of sleeping behavior of pigs from the middle to the end of the starting phase, from 2:30 to 8:20 h.

Homeopathic Products as a Complementary Dietary Additive for Pigs in their Growing and Finishing Phases

BACKGROUND

Homeopathic products (HP) have been proposed for the prevention of disease and as a complementary dietary additive in pig farming, with resulting improved performance and quality of life of the animals and with benefits for food safety. The aim of this study was to assess the addition of HP to pig feed and its effects on growth performance, dietary protein utilization, nutrient digestibility, meat quality, and economic feasibility.

METHODS

A total of 80 male pigs, body weight 32.8±2.3kg, were allocated in a randomized design, with two treatments of 10 replications and four animals per experimental unit. Treatments were composed of a control diet (CD) or CD+HP (Finalvitaplus+Figotonus, 1.1kg/ton feed of each product). The outcome measures used were growth performance (body weight gain) and feed efficiency (body weight gain per unit of feed consumed), efficiency of dietary protein utilization (blood urea nitrogen), nutrient digestibility (apparent digestibility coefficient and apparent nutrient digestibility), meat quality (including pH, temperature, color, liquid loss by cooking and thawing, intramuscular fat and meat tenderness), and economic feasibility (cost of the diets).

RESULTS

There was no effect (p >0.05) of treatments on growth performance of the pigs, though the group that received HP showed an 8.93% greater feed efficiency than the control group (p=0.077). The animals in the control group had a 14.37% higher blood urea nitrogen concentration in the finishing I phase (70-100kg body weight) compared with those fed HP (p=0.028), indicating lower protein utilization in the controls. There was comparative improvement in digestibility coefficient and in nutrient digestibility in pigs fed HP in the growing-finishing phase (p <0.05). There was no differential effect of treatments on meat quality or economic feasibility (p >0.05).

CONCLUSION

The addition of HP to the diet of growing-finishing pigs produced some improvement in their dietary protein utilization, nutrient digestibility and feed efficiency, though it did not affect their growth performance, meat quality or economic feasibility.

β-mannanase supplementation in diets reduced in 85 kcal metabolizable energy/kg containing xylanase-phytase improves gain to feed ratio, nutrient usage, and backfat thickness in finisher pigs

This study aimed to assess the effects of β-mannanase supplementation in metabolizable energy (ME)-reduced diets containing xylanase-phytase on performance, fecal score, blood biochemical and immunological profile, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), digesta passage rate, fecal microbiome, carcass traits and meat quality in finisher pigs (n = 40 entire male hybrid, 26.0 ± 0.9 kg) randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments: a control diet containing isolated phytase and xylanase valued at 40 kcal of ME/kg (CD0), CD0 + β-mannanase (0.3 g/kg valued at 30 kcal of ME/kg) (CD70), CD0 + β-mannanase (0.3 g/kg valued at 45 kcal of ME/kg) (CD85), and CD0 + β-mannanase (0.3 g/kg valued at 60 kcal of ME/kg) (CD100), with 10 pen replicates. Pigs fed CD0 diet showed (P = 0.002) greater ADFI. However, pigs fed CD0 diet showed (P = 0.009) lower G:F than those provided CD70 or CD85 diets. A greater (P &lt; 0.001) superoxide dismutase concentration was observed in pigs fed CD70 diet. Pigs fed CD85 diet showed (P = 0.002) greater digestible protein than pigs fed CD0 or CD100 diets. Pigs fed CD70 diet showed an increase of 11.3% in digestible protein than those fed CD0 diet. In addition, greater (P &lt; 0.001) digestible energy was observed in pigs fed CD85 diet. Pigs fed CD0 or CD100 diets showed greater (P &lt; 0.05) Firmicutes:Bacteroidota ratio than those fed CD85 diet. The Muribaculaceae was more abundant (P = 0.030) in pigs fed CD70 diet than in those fed CD0 diet. The Prevotella was more abundant (P = 0.045) in pigs fed CD85 diet than in those fed CD100 diet. In conclusion, β-mannanase supplementation in diets containing xylanase-phytase allows reducing 85 kcal of ME/kg because it improves gain to feed ratio, energy and protein usage, and backfat thickness without metabolic and intestinal ecosystem disorders in finisher pigs.

Lowering dietary cation-anion difference increases sow blood and milk calcium concentrations

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding an acidogenic diet with a low dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) on acid-base balance, blood, milk, and urine Ca concentrations of sows during lactation. A total of 30 multiparous sows (parity: 4.5 ± 2.9, Smithfield Premium Genetic, Rose Hill, NC) were allotted to 1 of 2 dietary treatments: CON (control diets were corn-soybean meal based with a calculated DCAD of 170 and 226 mEq/kg during late gestation and lactation, respectively) or ACI (acidogenic diets had a DCAD 100 mEq/kg lower than the control diets). The lower DCAD was achieved by the addition of an acidogenic mineral. The DCAD was calculated as mEq (Na + K - Cl)/kg diet. Sows had a daily access to 2-kg feed from day 94 of gestation to parturition and ad libitum access to feed during lactation. Blood and urine pH and Ca, serum macrominerals, serum biochemistry, Ca-regulating hormones, and milk composition were measured. Sows in ACI had a lower (P < 0.05) blood pH than sows in CON at day 1 of lactation. Sows in ACI had a lower (P < 0.05) urine pH at day 108 of gestation, days 1, 9, and 18 of lactation compared with sows in CON. Sows in ACI had greater (P < 0.05) concentrations of serum total Ca at days 1 and 18 of lactation than sows in CON. There was a greater (P < 0.05) concentration of colostrum Ca in ACI than in CON. There was no difference in urine Ca concentration between treatments during lactation. Concentrations of parathyroid hormone and 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol were not different between treatments at either day 1 or 18 of lactation. Sows in ACI tended to have a smaller (P = 0.086) concentration of total alkaline phosphatase in serum at day 18 of lactation compared with sows in CON. At day 1 of lactation, the concentration of serum Cl in ACI was greater (P < 0.05) than that in CON. Feed intake, BW loss, and litter performance were not different between treatments. Collectively, feeding an acidogenic diet with a low DCAD to sows can induce a mild metabolic acidosis at farrowing, reduce the urine pH consistently, and increase serum total Ca and colostrum Ca concentrations during lactation but without altering the parathyroid hormone and 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol levels during lactation.

Sunflower cake with or without enzymatic complex for broiler chickens feeding

Objective

This study was to evaluate the sunflower cake and enzymatic complex fed to broilers from 22 to 42 d of age.

Methods

In a completely randomized design, a total of 850 birds were allotted in a 2×5 factorial scheme (with and without enzymatic complex) and five inclusion levels (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%) of sunflower cake. There were 5 replications and 17 birds in each experimental unit. Data from performance, carcass yield and intestinal morphology were evaluated.

Results

Feed intake, weight gain, final weight and feed:gain ratio linearly worsened as sunflower cake increased. For weight gain, final weight and feed:gain ratio, the birds whose diets contained levels of 15% and 20% of sunflower cake showed worse values (p<0.05) than the birds fed the control diet. When fed the enzymatic complex, birds improved (p<0.05) crypt depth and villus:crypt ratio in the jejunum. As inclusion levels of sunflower cake increased, villus depth and villus:crypt ratio in duodenum, jejunum and ileum linearly reduced and the crypt depth linearly increased. Carcass yield linearly reduced as sunflower cake increased.

Conclusion

Based on performance, sunflower cake can be used up to 10% in broilers feeding from 21 to 42 days of age.

Effect of passion fruit seed meal on growth performance, carcass, and blood characteristics in starter pigs

Two experiments were carried out in Paraná State, Brazil, to evaluate the nutritional value of passion fruit seed meal (PFM) and to study the effect of PFM on growth performance, carcass, and blood characteristics in starter pigs (Topigs 20 × Tybor). In experiment 1, 25 castrated males, averaging 19.1-kg body weight, were individually fed in a completely randomized block design, consisting of five treatments and five replicates and an experimental period that lasted 14 days. In experiment 2, a total of 60 pigs (30 females and 30 castrated males) were distributed in a randomized block design with five treatments, six replications, and two animals per experimental unit and 90 days of experimentation. For both experiments, the same PFM inclusion rates were used in the experimental diets, namely, 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16 %. The metabolizable energy of PFM was estimated to be 15.0 MJ/kg. Inclusion of PFM at any level did not affect average daily gain, daily feed intake, feed/gain ratio, backfat thickness, loin depth, and plasma or blood components. It is concluded that passion fruit seed meal for swine in the starting phase can be added at a rate of up to 16 % in the diet without any negative effects on growth performance, carcass, and blood characteristics in starter commercial line pigs.

LISINA PARA FÊMEAS SUÍNAS PRIMÍPARAS EM LACTAÇÃO E O EFEITO NO DESEMPENHO DOS LEITÕES

O objetivo foi avaliar o melhor nível de lisina a ser utilizado na ração de fêmeas suínas de primeiro parto em lactação, em relação ao desempenho dos leitões ao desmame, e também avaliar o número de fetos e peso dos leitões no segundo parto. Foram utilizadas inicialmente 50 porcas primíparas em lactação, distribuídas entre os 5 tratamentos (10 animais por tratamento), sendo que os tratamentos foram os diferentes níveis de lisina digestível na ração, correspondendo a 0,88; 0,99; 1,04; 1,08 e 1,24%, mantidas as relações entre os demais aminoácidos. As leitegadas foram padronizadas com 11 leitões. Esses animais foram distribuídos em um delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, sendo cada leitegada uma unidade experimental, assim obtendo-se 10 repetições. As variáveis analisadas foram submetidas à análise de variância e regressão. Não houve diferença estatística em relação ao peso dos leitões ao desmame, e tampouco do peso e número de fetos no segundo parto em função dos níveis de lisina. Conclui-se que os diferentes níveis de lisina não influenciam o desempenho dos leitões, podendo assim, ser utilizado o menor nível estudado (0,88% de lisina digestível) na dieta de porcas primíparas em lactação.