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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: jas.2007-0061v1 85/8/2043    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Linneen, S. K. Articles by Nelssen, J. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Linneen, S. K. Articles by Nelssen, J. L.

Effects of frequent out-of-feed events on growth performance of nursery and grow-finish pigs¹

S. K. Linneen^*, S. S. Dritz, R. D. Goodband^*,2, M. D. Tokach^*, J. M. DeRouchey^* and J. L. Nelssen^*

^* Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, and Food Animal Health and Management Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506-0210

² Corresponding author: Goodband{at}ksu.edu

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate effects of out-of-feed events on nursery and grow-finish pig performance. An out-of-feed event is a period of time that pigs do not have access to feed as a result of late feed delivery or bridging in bulk bins, feed lines, or feeders. In these studies, we created an out-of-feed event by removing the feeders from pens or preventing access to the feeder. In Exp. 1, 190 pigs (initially 6.4 ± 1.6 kg and 21 ± 3 d of age) were used in a 35-d growth study. Treatments involved a 20-h feed withdrawal for 1, 2, or 3 randomly selected times or a control treatment where feeders were never withdrawn. Feeders were withdrawn on d 11 for pigs with 1 out-of-feed event, d 8 and 23 for pigs with 2 out-of-feed events, and d 9, 14, and 20 for pigs with 3 out-of-feed events. There was a treatment (P < 0.06) effect only during weeks in which an out-of-feed event occurred. Growth rate was lower (P < 0.05) for pigs with 1 out-of-feed event (d 11) compared with control in the d 8 to 14 period. During the same period, those pigs with the first of 2 (d 8) or 3 (d 9) out-of-feed events had intermediate ADG. In the d 15 to 21 period, only pigs with the second and third of 3 out-of-feed events (d 15 and 20) had lower growth performance compared with control pigs, whereas growth performance was similar to the control for those with 1 or 2 out-of-feed events. Pigs with 3 out-of-feed events had greater ADG and G:F (P < 0.05) compared with the other 3 treatments for the d 22 to 28 period. For the overall study (d 0 to 35), there were no differences (P > 0.86) in growth performance among pigs with 0, 1, 2, or 3 out-of-feed events. In Exp. 2, 479 pigs (initially 41.6 ± 4 kg) were used in an 85-d growth study. Treatments involved feed withdrawal (20 h) weekly for the duration of the study; feed withdrawn weekly from d 45 to 85; or a control treatment where pigs had access to feed for the duration of the experiment. Feed withdrawal occurred on a randomly selected day with the exception of Saturday, Sunday, or a day before a weigh day (usually a Thursday every other week). From d 0 to 45, 46 to 85, and the overall d 0 to 85 period, there were no differences (P > 0.12) in ADG, ADFI, G:F, or average final BW among treatments. Results suggest that out-of-feed events of 20 h or less have no long-term detrimental effects on growth performance in nursery or grow-finish pigs.

Key Words: feed availability • feed management • pig