ABSTRACT
A total of 606 sows (PIC 1050) and their progeny (PIC 1050 × 280) were used to determine if feeding gestating and lactating sows a proprietary strain of Pichia guilliermondii as a whole-cell inactivated yeast product (WCY; CitriStim, ADM Animal Nutrition, Quincy, IL) improves sow and litter performance in a commercial production system. Once confirmed pregnant at d 35 post-breeding pregnancy check, sows were fed a basal gestation control (CON) diet (0.55% SID lysine) or the control diet fortified with 0.15% of the WCY replacing corn in the CON diet. Dietary treatments were also fed in lactation (1.05% SID lysine) once sows were moved into farrowing crates on approximately d 112 of gestation until weaning. Sows supplemented with WCY in gestation and lactation had increased total born piglets by 0.45 pigs (P < 0.04), piglets born alive (14.27 vs. 13.85; P < 0.04), and, therefore, heavier born alive litter weights (P < 0.001) compared to CON fed sows. A greater post cross-foster litter size (P < 0.001) meant that litter size at weaning was increased by 0.54 pigs when sows were fed WCY compared to CON (P < 0.001). However, litter weaning weights and 21-d adjusted litter weaning weights were similar (P > 0.158), although numerically greater, for WCY fed sows. Pigs from CON fed sows were 0.35 kg heavier at weaning compared to pigs from WCY fed sows (P < 0.001). This increase in weaning weight of pigs from CON fed sows is partially explained by their 0.93 d longer lactation (P < 0.001) and may also be due to the smaller litter size throughout lactation. The percent of litters treated for scours decreased from 38.3 to 14.2% when sows were fed WCY (P < 0.001). The distribution of birth and weaning weights was not impacted (P > 0.2461) by treatment. In conclusion, feeding gestating and lactating sows a proprietary strain of Pichia guilliermondii as a whole-cell inactivated yeast product increased the number of pigs born and weaned, and decreased the prevalence of scours during lactation.
ABSTRACT
Mixed sex pigs (n = 720) were placed in 12 rooms (Purdue Swine Environmental Research Building) to measure the effect of reduced crude protein (CP), amino acid (AA)-supplemented diets on growth and the carcass. Pigs were blocked by body weight (BW) and gender and allotted to room and pen (10 mixed-sex pigs/pen). Pigs were fed a nine-phase, wean-finish program. Control pigs consumed corn-soybean meal-distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS) diets containing no to minimal (Met) synthetic AA. The 2X diet was formulated to meet the seventh most-limiting AA, and balanced using synthetic AAs to meet all AA needs. The 1X diet was formulated to meet a CP value halfway between the control and 2X diet, and also balanced using synthetic AAs to meet all AA needs. Diets were formulated to identical net energy concentrations and balanced to meet standard ileal digestible NRC 2012 AA requirements. Pit vacuum samples were collected at the end of each growth phase for analyses of nitrogen, C and dry matter (DM). Pigs fed the Control and 1X diet grew faster (P < 0.005), had greater gain:feed (P < 0.001), and were heavier at market (P < 0.001) than animals fed the 2X diet. No consistent effects of diet were observed on average daily feed intake. Carcass data were analyzed for sex, diet and sex*diet effects. Reductions in dietary CP resulted in a linear reduction in ammonium nitrogen excretion per kg of BW gain in Nursery (P < 0.001) and Grow-Finish (P < 0.001) phases. Reductions in dietary CP, with synthetic AA supplementation resulted in a linear reduction in total nitrogen excreted per kg BW gain in the Grow-Finish phase (P < 0.001) and overall (P < 0.001). Total mineral excretion per kg gain was reduced in pigs fed 1X and 2X diets compared with control-fed pigs (P < 0.005). Reductions in dietary CP of ~3 and 5%-units from wean-finish result in reductions of total N excretion of 11.7 and 24.4%, respectively. Reduced performance and carcass characteristics observed in pigs fed the 2X diets indicates an inaccurate estimate of NRC 2012 AA requirements or ratios to lysine in a low CP diet.
