6 Effects of Plans on Growth Performance and Behaviors of 32- to 128-kg Grow-Finish Pigs

Abstract

Abstract A total of 1,900 pigs (PIC337×Camborough, initially 32.0 ± 0.52kg) were used to determine the effects of different nutrition plans on growth performance and behaviors of 32- to 128-kg grow-finish pigs. Pens of pigs were weighed, blocked by body weight, and randomly allotted to 1 of 5 treatments that consisted: TRT1) Single-phase program (30-135kg), standardized ileal digestible (SID) lysine:NE ratio at 107% of PIC recommendation at the mid-point of the weight range (referred as “PIC mid-point recommendation”); TRT2) Single-phase program (30-135kg), SID lysine:NE ratio at 125% of PIC mid-point recommendation; TRT3) Two-phase program (30-75 and 75-135kg), SID lysine:NE ratio at 96% and 106% of PIC mid-point recommendation, respectively; TRT4) Two-phase program (30-75 and 75-135kg), SID lysine:NE ratios at 101% of PIC mid-point recommendation in both phases; TRT5) Four-phase program (30-50, 50-75, 75-100, and 100-135kg), SID lysine:NE ratios at 100% of PIC mid-point recommendation in each phase. Dietary amino acids to lysine ratios were below PIC recommendations in TRT1 and TRT3, and met or were above PIC recommendations in TRT2, TRT4, and TRT5. Pigs and feeders were weighed, and ear and tail lesion were scored and recorded every 2 to 3 weeks. From 32- to 81-kg, pigs fed TRT1 diet had reduced average daily gain (ADG, P < 0.05) and gain to feed ratio (G:F, P < 0.05) compared with all other groups (Table 1). Overall, pigs fed TRT2 diet had the greatest ADG, G:F, and lean percentage (P < 0.05). Pig fed TRT1 diet had a greater overall incidence rate of ear and flank lesions compared with the ones in other treatments (P < 0.05). In the current experiment, grow-finish pigs fed with a single-phase nutrition plan containing lower SID Lys levels and amino acid ratios compared with PIC recommendations had reduced performance during the grower phase and greater overall incidence rate of vices.