PSIV-17 Effects of zinc level and calcium source on growth performance of nursery pigs

Abstract

Abstract An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of Zn level and Ca source on nursery performance. Treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial with main effects of added Zn (100 or 3,000 mg/kg) and Ca source (limestone or Ca citrate). The basal level of Zn (100 mg/kg) was from organic source, whereas the 3,000 mg/kg was created with the inclusion of 2,900 mg/kg Zn oxide. A total of 3,701 pigs (PIC 337 × Camborough), initially 5.4 kg, were used with 18 replicates per treatment. Experimental diets were fed for 19 d, followed by a common diet from d 19 to 49. Pigs were weighed and feed disappearance measured to calculate ADG, ADFI, and G:F. Data were analyzed with SAS MIXED procedure. There were interactions (P < 0.05) between Zn and Ca for G:F from d 10 to 19 and 0 to 19. From d 10 to 19, feeding 3,000 mg/kg added Zn improved G:F with both Ca sources, but the magnitude of improvement was greater when diets contained Ca citrate. From d 0 to 19, only pigs fed Ca citrate presented improvement in G:F when fed 3,000 mg/kg added Zn. For main effects, feeding 3,000 mg/kg added Zn improved (P < 0.05) ADG and G:F from d 0 to 10. From d 10 to 19 and 0 to 19, feeding 3,000 mg/kg added Zn increased (P < 0.05) ADG and ADFI. During the common period (d 19 to 49), pigs previously fed 100 mg/kg added Zn had improved (P < 0.01) G:F. Overall (d 0 to 49), no differences (P > 0.10) in performance were observed. In conclusion, there were no major differences in performance between Ca sources. Pigs fed 3,000 mg/kg added Zn presented improved growth performance from d 10 to 19 but not overall.