Crossbred pigs (Fast Genetics 276 × PIC 800; n = 2,388; initial BW = 74.1 ± 2.0 kg) were used in two, 63-d growth trials to evaluate the addition of a water source (fixed double nipple waterer) to wet/dry feeders on finishing pig performance. Pigs were assigned randomly to 1 of 2 treatments with 27 to 30 pigs per pen and 40 pens per treatment. Pens were equipped with a wet/dry feeder (SDI, drop shelf wet/dry feeder) with no supplemental water or a wet/dry feeder with a supplemental water source available from 74 kg BW until marketing. Growth data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure with repeated measures over time. The model included fixed effects of water treatment, trial, and time with all possible two-way interactions. Removals, mortalities, and total removals were analyzed using a binomial distribution. No differences (P > 0.05) in body weight were observed initially or at the last marketing event between water source treatments; however, a supplemental water source tended (P = 0.061) to decrease average market weight compared to pigs not given a supplemental waterer (Table). Overall average daily gain (ADG) was lower (P = 0.011) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) was decreased (P = 0.002) for pigs given a supplemental waterer compared to pigs only drinking from a wet/dry feeder. No differences were observed for the percentage of mortalities, pigs removed, or total removals (P > 0.05) regardless of treatment. Finally, daily water disappearance was 2.5 liters greater for pigs with a supplemental waterer compared to pigs with no supplemental waterer. In conclusion, the addition of a supplemental water source to wet/dry feeders decreased growth performance.
Gestating sows (n = 267) were used to determine if timing of feeding elevated dietary zinc in a commercial setting would reduce pre-weaning mortality of piglets. Sows from 3 consecutive weekly farrowing groups were assigned randomly within parity to 1 of 3 treatments consisting of: 1) Control: a corn-soybean meal diet containing 125 ppm supplemental Zn supplied by zinc hydroxychloride; 2) Breed-to-Farrow (B-to-F): as Control + 141 ppm supplemental Zn as ZnSO4 (266 ppm total supplemental Zn) fed from 5 d after breeding to farrowing; and 3) Day 110-to-Farrow (D110-to-F): as Control diet fed from breeding to farrowing + 2,715 ppm supplemental Zn as ZnSO4 (2,840 ppm total supplemental Zn) starting on d 110 of gestation until farrowing. The statistical model considered fixed effects of treatment, farrowing group, and the random effect of their interaction. Dietary treatments did not influence number of total pigs born or pigs weaned per litter (Table). No differences were observed for any piglet growth criteria evaluated across treatments (P > 0.05). For B-to-F sows, there was an increase in percent of pigs born alive compared with Control and D110-to-F sows (P = 0.002). Percentage of stillborn pigs tended to decrease for sows assigned to the B-to-F treatment (P = 0.052) compared with Control or D110-to-F sows. Feeding elevated zinc throughout gestation increased (P = 0.015) percentage of low-birth-weight pigs born alive compared with Control sows. Mortality of low-birth-weight piglets did not differ among treatments (P = 0.592). However, a trend for decreasing post-natal mortality (P = 0.065) of normal birth weight pigs was observed for pigs born to sows fed elevated zinc. The incidence of low-birth-weight pigs was higher (P < 0.001) for sows fed the D110-to-F treatment compared with Control sows. Overall, feeding elevated zinc to sows throughout gestation increased the proportion of pigs born alive and marginally increased survival of normal birth weight pigs.
The objective of this study was to determine if cleanliness of the water delivery system influences growth performance of nursery pigs. Newly-weaned pigs (n = 315; about 21 d of age) were used in a 42-d experiment. Pigs were assigned randomly to 1 of 2 water line treatments with 17 to 18 pens/treatment and 9 pigs/pen. Treatments consisted of: 1) OLD water line: water delivered to pens via a water distribution system in use for 21 years without cleaning or 2) NEW water line: water delivered to pens via a water distribution system in use for 6 weeks. Water for both distribution systems was sourced from a common well. Pigs were housed in an environmentally controlled, power ventilated, confinement nursery barn and were allowed ad libitum access to water and common diets fed in 3 phases across water line treatments. Growth data were analyzed as a repeated measures design using PROC GLIMMIX procedure of SAS with water line as a fixed effect, room as a random effect, and pen as the experimental unit. There were no differences in body weight (P > 0.05) throughout the experiment for pigs drinking water from the OLD or NEW water line (Table). Pigs fed water from OLD lines consumed more feed than pigs consuming water from NEW lines but this difference did not influence ADG or G:F throughout the experiment. Mortality and total removals of pigs did not differ between treatments (P > 0.05). In conclusion, age and cleanliness of a water delivery system had minimal effects on growth performance of nursery pigs.
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