Impact of nursery feeding program on subsequent growth performance, carcass quality, meat quality, and physical and chemical body composition of growing-finishing pigs1

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to examine the effect of the nursery feeding program on subsequent growth performance, carcass quality, meat quality, and physical and chemical body composition of growing-finishing pigs. Four dietary treatments were used in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments based on diet complexity (Complex vs. Simple) and in-feed antibiotics (2,730 [+AB] vs. 0 [-AB] mg of chlortetracycline /kg].A total of 552 pigs, in 5 blocks, were weaned at 21 ± 2 d of age with an initial BW of 7.03 ± 0.07 kg. Each experimental block had 3 pens per treatment, with 8 pigs per pen in blocks 1 and 2, and 10 pigs per pen in the remaining 3 blocks. Nursery diets were fed in a 3-phase feeding program (Phase I, II, and III diets fed for 1, 2, and 3 wk, respectively). All pigs were fed common grower-finisher diets thereafter. Six pigs per treatment were slaughtered for chemical body composition analysis at wk 2, 8, 12, and 17 postweaning. An additional 11 pigs per treatment were slaughtered at wk 17 postweaning (approximately 115 kg BW or market weight) for analysis of carcass characteristics, chemical and physical body composition, and meat quality. During the nursery phase, ADG was lower (P < 0.05) for pigs fed the Simple diet than those fed the Complex diet (491 vs. 528 g/d). Antibiotic usage improved (P < 0.05) ADG in Phases II (408 vs. 438 g/d) and III (689 vs. 720 g/d). In Phase I and II, G:F was lower (P < 0.05) for pigs fed the Simple diet than those fed the Complex diet (0.46 vs. 0.58 and 0.75 vs. 0.78 in Phases I and II, respectively). During the grower phase, pigs previously fed -AB diets grew faster than pigs fed +AB diets (P < 0.05; 1,009 vs. 971 g/d). There were no treatment effects on overall ADG or G:F from weaning to finishing. Nursery feeding program did not affect carcass quality characteristics. However, pigs previously fed +AB diets tended (P = 0.07) to have increased LM depth. Nursery feeding program had no effect on objective or subjective meat quality measures, chemical body composition, or the weight of primal and retail carcass cuts at wk 17 postweaning, with the exception of primal belly weight. These results indicate that feeding simple nursery diets, or nursery diets without antibiotics, compromises growth performance during the nursery period but does not affect overall growth performance between weaning and market BW, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. Thus, feed costs for nursery pigs can be reduced by feeding simple diets without compromising market BW and carcass and meat quality.

Long-term effects of early antibiotic intervention on blood parameters, apparent nutrient digestibility, and fecal microbial fermentation profile in pigs with different dietary protein levels

“…At present, information on the effects of EAI on subsequent growth performance under different dietary CP levels is limited. Skinner et al [ 25 ] reported that the use of antibiotics (therapeutic dose usage) in the nursery diets with normal-CP level appeared to reduce subsequent ADG of the pigs as compared to non-treated controls. In the present study, the antibiotics at low dosage did not have effect on subsequent ADG with normal-CP diet, though increased the subsequent ADG under low-CP diet.…”

Short-term effect of supplemental yeast extract without or with feed enzymes on growth performance, immune status and gut structure of weaned pigs challenged with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide

“…These observations suggest that AGP supplemented pigs had better recovery of weight and feed intake after LPS challenge than those supplemented with yeast extract. Weber et al [24] and Skinner et al [25] reported that AGP improves ADG during the nursery phase, whereas Wu et al [26] reported that piglets receiving in-feed AGP and challenged with enterotoxigenic E. coli had higher ADG and G:F than control. Niewold [27] suggested that AGP improve gut health and growth performance of livestock by reducing the gut pathogen load and competition for nutrients between the host and gut microbes.…”

Antibody responses to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, influenza A virus, and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae from weaning to the end of the finisher stage in fourteen groups of pigs in Ontario

“…All sources but one utilized off-site nursery and finishing, while the other was farrow-to-finish for Cohort 1 and off-site finisher for Cohort 2. Pigs received either a standard high-complexity (HC) nursery diet or experimental lower-cost, low-complexity (LC) diet in which the majority of the animal protein was replaced with plant protein throughout the nursery phase (13). The diets for all pigs were the same at all other production stages.…”

“…Additionally, the composition of nursery diets, particularly protein content and quality, may affect animal health, carcass quality, and growth rate (12). Nursery diets that substitute animal proteins with plant-based proteins may decrease costs associated with pork production without sacrificing meat quality or body weight (13) but the effects these diets may have on antibody responses, if any, are not yet fully understood (14).…”