Evaluation of AviPlus on Growth Performance of Nursery and Evaluation of AviPlus on Growth Performance of Nursery and Growing-Finishing Pigs Growing-Finishing Pigs

Summary This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of AviPlus (a combination of micro-encapsulated sorbic and citric acids and synthetic thymol and vanillin botani-cals; Vetagro Inc., Chicago, IL) on growth performance during the wean-to-finish period in a commercial research environment. A total of 1,215 pigs (L337 × 1050; PIC, Hendersonville, TN) were used in a 156-d wean-to-finish experiment. Pigs were weaned at approximately 21 d of age and placed in pens based on initial body weight (BW) with 27 pigs per pen in a randomized complete block design. During the 42-day nursery period, pigs were allotted to 1 of 2 treatments in an unbalanced treatment structure with 15 pens (replications) fed the control diet and 30 pens (replications) fed diets containing AviPlus at 6 lb/ton from d 0 to 21 and 2 lb/ton from d 21 to 42. On d 42, pigs were transported as intact pens from the nursery to the commercial finishing facility. During the finishing period 3 treatments were applied, which included: 1) pigs on the control diet in nursery remained on control diets; 2) 50% of pigs in nursery provided AviPlus were then fed 1 lb AviPlus throughout finishing; and 3) 50% of pigs in nursery provided AviPlus were then fed the control diet throughout finishing. All pens on finishing treatments 2 and 3 were allotted based on ending nursery BW to the finishing treatment. There were 15 replications per treatment in the finishing period. From d 0 to 21, pigs fed diets with AviPlus had a tendency for improved ( P < 0.058


Summary
This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of AviPlus (a combination of micro-encapsulated sorbic and citric acids and synthetic thymol and vanillin botanicals; Vetagro Inc., Chicago, IL) on growth performance during the wean-to-finish period in a commercial research environment.A total of 1,215 pigs (L337 × 1050; PIC, Hendersonville, TN) were used in a 156-d wean-to-finish experiment.Pigs were weaned at approximately 21 d of age and placed in pens based on initial body weight (BW) with 27 pigs per pen in a randomized complete block design.During the 42-day nursery period, pigs were allotted to 1 of 2 treatments in an unbalanced treatment structure with 15 pens (replications) fed the control diet and 30 pens (replications) fed diets containing AviPlus at 6 lb/ton from d 0 to 21 and 2 lb/ton from d 21 to 42.On d 42, pigs were transported as intact pens from the nursery to the commercial finishing facility.During the finishing period 3 treatments were applied, which included: 1) pigs on the control diet in nursery remained on control diets; 2) 50% of pigs in nursery provided AviPlus were then fed 1 lb AviPlus throughout finishing; and 3) 50% of pigs in nursery provided AviPlus were then fed the control diet throughout finishing.All pens on finishing treatments 2 and 3 were allotted based on ending nursery BW to the finishing treatment.There were 15 replications per treatment in the finishing period.From d 0 to 21, pigs fed diets with AviPlus had a tendency for improved (P < 0.058) F/G when compared to pigs fed the control diet; however, there was no evidence of difference (P > 0.05) for ADG, ADFI, or d 21 BW.From d 21 to 42, there was no evidence of difference (P > 0.05) for ADG, ADFI, or F/G.For the overall nursery period (d 0 to 42), pigs fed diets with AviPlus had improved (P < 0.05) F/G when compared to pigs fed the control diet, but there was no evidence of difference (P > 0.05) for d 42 BW, ADG, or ADFI between treatments.From d 42 to 106, there was no evidence of difference (P > 0.05) for ADG, ADFI, and F/G.However, from d 106 to 156, pigs fed diets containing AviPlus in both the nursery and finishing periods had decreased (P < 0.05) ADG when compared to pigs fed the control diet and

Introduction
Due to growing public concerns related to antibiotic resistance for antibiotic use and other growth promoters used in swine diets, there is an increased interest to identify alternative ingredients that elicit similar health and performance responses.The ability to raise healthy pigs with minimal medication and to achieve optimal growth performance is still the desirable goal to be successful from a food safety and economic position.Organic acids have been reported to reduce potential pathogens along the gastrointestinal tract, reduce the pH of the gastrointestinal tract, and improve growth performance of growing pigs. 4Microencapsulation of nutrients and organic acids has the potential to distribute those nutrients along the gastrointestinal tract, thus providing a benefit to the animal. 5Due to their broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, essential oils, such as thymol and vanillin, extracted from edible plants are also emerging as a substitute for antibiotics. 6Recent research has shown that a commercial product (AviPlus, Vetagro Inc., Chicago, IL) that is a combination of micro-encapsulated sorbic and citric acids and synthetic thymol and vanillin botanicals improved the growth performance during the wean-to-finish period. 7Research is needed to verify this response under commercial conditions.Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of AviPlus during the wean-to-finish period in a commercial research environment.

Swine Day 2020
factured at the New Horizon Farms feed mill in Pipestone, MN.In the grow-finish phase of the study, each pen (18 × 9 ft) was equipped with a 4-hole stainless steel dry self-feeder and a waterer cup for ad libitum access to feed and water.Feed additions for the nursery and finishing phases to each pen were delivered and recorded by a robotic feeding system (FeedPro, Feedlogic Corp., Wilmar, MN).Pens of pigs were weighed, and feed delivery and disappearance were determined weekly during the nursery phase and approximately every 2 weeks during the finisher phase.Weights and feed measurements were used to determine growth performance (ADG, ADFI, and F/G).If a pig died, it was weighed and recorded.Pigs that were unable to overcome sickness or injury during the trial were removed and recorded.
A total of 1,215 pigs (L337 × 1050; PIC, Hendersonville, TN) were placed in 45 pens with 27 pigs per pen.Pigs were weaned at approximately 21 d of age and placed in pens based on initial body weight (BW).During the 42-day nursery period, pigs were allotted to 1 of 2 dietary treatments in an unbalanced treatment structure with 15 pens (replications) fed the control and 30 pens (replications) fed diets containing AviPlus (a combination of micro-encapsulated sorbic and citric acids and synthetic thymol and vanillin botanicals; Vetagro Inc., Chicago, IL) at the expense of corn in the diet at 6 lb/ ton from d 0 to 21 and 2 lb/ton from d 21 to 42.Nursery diets were fed in 3 phases, with pharmacological levels of Zn in phase 1 and 2 (3,000 ppm added from zinc oxide in phase 1 and 2,000 ppm in phase 2).Diets were formulated to meet or exceed requirements recommended by the NRC. 8 d 42, pigs were transported as intact pens from the nursery to a commercial finishing facility.During the finishing period 3 treatments were applied, which included: 1) pigs fed the control diet in nursery remained on control diets; 2) 50% of pigs in nursery fed AviPlus were then fed 1 lb AviPlus throughout finishing; and 3) 50% of pigs in nursery fed AviPlus were then fed the control diet throughout finishing.All pens on finishing treatments 2 and 3 were allotted based on ending nursery BW to the finishing treatment.There were 15 replications per treatment in the finishing period.
Data were analyzed using R Studio (Version 4.0, R Core Team.Vienna, Austria) with pen serving as the experimental unit.The study was a randomized complete block design with weight block included in the model as a random effect.Pre-planned contrast statements were used to evaluate the treatment effects on ADG, ADFI, BW, F/G, removals, and mortality.Nursery data were analyzed as a 1-way treatment structure with 2 levels.Grow-finish data were analyzed as a 1-way treatment structure with 3 levels.Statistical models were fitted using NLME package in R. Results were considered significant at P < 0.05 and marginally significant at 0.05 > P < 0.10.

Results and Discussion
From d 0 to 21, there was no evidence of difference (P > 0.05) for ADG, ADFI, or d 21 BW.However, pigs fed diets with AviPlus had showed a trend for improved (P < 0.058) F/G compared to pigs provided the control diet.From d 21 to 42, there was no evidence of difference (P > 0.05) for ADG, ADFI, F/G, or d 42 BW.

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For the overall nursery period (d 0 to 42) pigs fed diets with AviPlus had improved (P < 0.05) F/G compared to pigs fed the control diet, but there was no evidence of difference (P > 0.05) for ADG or ADFI.
For the finishing period, from d 42 to 106, there was no evidence of difference (P > 0.05) between treatments for ADG, ADFI, and F/G.From d 106 to 156, pigs fed diets containing AviPlus both in the nursery and finishing periods had decreased (P < 0.05) ADG when compared to pigs on the control diet and pigs receiving AviPlus only in the nursery, with no evidence of difference (P > 0.05) for other growth responses.For the overall finishing period (d 42 to 156), there was no evidence of difference (P > 0.05) for d 156 BW, ADG, ADFI, or F/G.
For the overall wean-finish period (d 0 to 156), no evidence for difference (P > 0.05) was observed for ADG, ADFI, or F/G between the different treatments.
For mortality and removals, there was no evidence of difference (P > 0.05) observed for nursery mortality, removals, or total nursery mortality and removals.Similarly, in finishing and overall, no evidence of difference (P > 0.05) was observed for mortality, removals, or total mortality and removals.
In summary, diets with AviPlus improved F/G in the early and overall nursery phases.However, no benefit was found in the finishing period or for the overall wean-to-finish period.This is in contrast to previous research when pigs fed AviPlus had improved growth performance in the wean-to-finish period. 7The discrepancy in studies warrants further investigation.

Brand names appearing in this publication are for product identification purposes only.
No endorsement is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned.Persons using such products assume responsibility for their use in accordance with current label directions of the manufacturer.AviPlus (Vetagro Inc., Chicago, IL) inclusion rate of 1 lb/ton was used from the start of the finishing period to the end of the experiment. 5ME = metabolizable energy.NE = net energy.CP = crude protein.  1 A total of 1,215 pigs (initial BW of 11.1 ± 0.1 lb) were used in a 156-d growth study with 27 pigs per pen.In the nursery, there were 15 pens (replications) fed the control diet and 30 pens (replications) fed diets containing AviPlus.In the finishing period of the experiment, 3 treatments were applied which included: 1) pigs on the control diet in nursery remaining on control diets; 2) ½ of pigs in nursery fed AviPlus were then fed 1 lb AviPlus throughout finishing, and 3) ½ of pigs in nursery fed AviPlus were then fed the control diets throughout finishing.Pens on treatments 2 and 3 were allotted based on ending nursery BW to the finishing treatment making 15 pens (replications) per treatment in the finishing phase.

Table 3 .
Evaluation of AviPlus on growth performance of nursery and growing-finishing pigs 1

Table 3 .
Evaluation of AviPlus on growth performance of nursery and growing-finishing pigs 1