Evaluating the Effects of Pharmacological Levels of Zinc Oxide, Diet Acidification and Dietary Crude Protein on Growth Performance of Nursery Pigs

Authors

W. M. Hutchens, Kansas State UniversityFollow
M. D. Tokach, Department of Animal Science and Industry, Kansas State UniversityFollow
S. S. Dritz, Kansas State University, ManhattanFollow
J. C. Woodworth, Kansas State UniversityFollow
J. M. DeRouchey, Kansas State University, ManhattanFollow
R. D. Goodband, Department of Animal Science and Industry, Kansas State UniversityFollow
H. I. Calderón, Kansas State UniversityFollow

Keywords

zinc, acidification, crude protein, nursery pigs

Abstract

A total of 360 weaned pigs (DNA 200 × 400; initially 12.9 lb BW) were used in a 42-d growth study to evaluate the effects of pharmacological levels of zinc oxide (ZnO), diet acidification, and dietary crude protein (CP) on pig performance. Pigs were weaned at approximately 21-d of age and were randomly assigned to pens (5 pigs per pen) and allotted to 1 of 8 dietary treatments with 9 pens per treatment. Experimental diets were fed from d 0 to 21 with a common diet fed from d 21 to 42. The eight treatment diets were arranged as a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial with main effects of Zn from ZnO (110 ppm from d 0 to 21 or 3,000 ppm from d 0 to 7, and 2,000 ppm from d 7 to 21), diet acidification, (without or with 1.2% sodium diformate), and dietary CP (21 or 18%, [1.40 vs. 1.20% standardized ileal digestible Lys, respectively]). Fecal samples were collected weekly to determine dry matter content. No 2- or 3-way interactions (P>0.05) were observed throughout the 42-d growth study for growth performance; however, there was a ZnO × acidifier × CP interaction (P<0.05) for fecal dry matter on d 7 and overall, where reducing CP without acidification increased fecal DM when ZnO was not in the diet, but had little effect when ZnO was present in the diet. From d 0 to 21, pigs fed added ZnO had improved (P<0.05) average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), feed efficiency (F/G), and increased d 21 body weight (BW) compared to those fed 110 ppm Zn. Added sodium diformate improved (P<0.05), ADG, F/G, and BW. Pigs fed 21% CP had improved (P<0.05) ADG and F/G and tended (P<0.10) to have increased d 21 BW. In the subsequent period (d 21 to 42) after the experimental diets were fed, there was no evidence of difference in growth perfor­mance among treatments. Overall (d 0 to 42), adding ZnO or sodium diformate from d 0 to 21 tended to increase ADG (P ≤ 0.10) with no evidence of difference in ADFI and F/G. Increasing dietary CP from 18 to 21% from d 0 to 21 improved (P<0.05) overall F/G. In summary, dietary addition of ZnO or sodium diformate independently improved nursery pig performance.

Recommended Citation

Hutchens, W. M.; Tokach, M. D.; Dritz, S. S.; Woodworth, J. C.; DeRouchey, J. M.; Goodband, R. D.; and Calderón, H. I. (2020) "Evaluating the Effects of Pharmacological Levels of Zinc Oxide, Diet Acidification and Dietary Crude Protein on Growth Performance of Nursery Pigs," Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports: Vol. 6: Iss. 10. https://doi.org/10.4148/2378-5977.7988