Although the feed-conversion ratio is recognized as a prominent indicator of profitability for pork producers, only 212 (50.7%) of 418 producers who were asked the feed-conversion ratio for finisher pigs provided a response during the USA National Animal Health Monitoring System 1995 National Swine Study. Of these, 126 (59.4%) producers furnished a feed-conversion ratio which they characterized...

The growth of 64 pigs was monitored over grower and finisher periods of 26-58 and 58-96 kg respectively, to see if the optimum dietary ratio of threonine to lysine (T/L) under ad Zibitum feeding was higher than the generally accepted ratio of 0.6. Five basal (Bl-B5) diets were used to establish the pig’s response to lysine (in the range 6.0 to 11.24 and 5.59 to 10.5 g kg-1 for grower and finish...

Few issues in swine production are as complex as floor space allowances. One method for pork producers to calculate floor space allowance (A) is to convert BW into a 2-dimensional concept yielding an expression of A = k * BW(0.667). Data on ADG, ADFI, and G:F were obtained from published peer-reviewed studies. Five data sets were created: A = grower-finisher pigs, fully slatted floors, and cons...

To study the effects of α-galactosidase (α-Gal) supplementation on performance and energy metabolism, 216 Arbor Acres male broilers were placed in 36 cages of 6 birds each and allotted to 4 diets for 42 d, with 0-21 d as starter period and 22-42 d as grower period. The 4 diets were based on corn non-dehulled soybean meal in a 2×2 factorial arrangement, with 2 levels of α-Gal (0 vs. 60 U/kg feed...

This study evaluated the effect of 2 levels (0 vs. 8%) of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in a starter broiler diet (0 to 14 d; 45 replicates/treatment) after these same birds were subsequently fed a grower diet (14 to 28 d) with either 0, 7.5, 15, 22.5, or 30% DDGS (9 replicates/treatment). Ross×Ross 308 male broilers were used in this experiment, and evaluation criteria consisted...

The objective of this study was to determine the optimal inclusion rate of dietary formic acid-ammonium formate (composition by weight was 62% formic acid and 37% ammonium formate) in nursery and grower-finisher diets or grower-finisher diets only. At weaning (d 21 +/- 2), 224 pigs (equal numbers of gilts and barrows) were blocked by BW within sex (28 pigs per BW block, 4 pigs per pen) and assi...

Axone (Akhuni), a homemade Nagamese fermented soybean product, is known for its umami flavor and taste and eaten as a delicacy in North Eastern India. Incorporation of Axone (1% w/w) in commercial poultry feed significantly improved growth rate (weight gain) both in piglets (p, 0.01) and grower pigs (p, 0.039). However, in grower pigs, growth rate was hampered in first week of experiment (p, 0....