Effect of marketing treatments and transportation on feeder pig performance

During four 6-wk trials, 376 university-raised, crossbred feeder pigs were used to determine the effects of fasting (no feed or water) vs providing feed plus water or water alone at the simulated market and a 563-km transport on shrinkage and subsequent health and performance. Providing feed and water or water alone during a 12-h market simulation for Trials 1, 2 and 4 or a 24-h period for Trial 3 did not affect subsequent rate of gain (ADG) or feed efficiency (F/G) compared with pigs fasted during the market stay. However, overall shrinkage (market phase plus transportation) of pigs provided feed and water at the market was less (P less than .05) than for fasted pigs (4.0 vs 8.4% for Trials 1, 2 and 4; 4.5 vs 11.8% for Trial 3). Transporting the fasted or nonfasted feeder pig 563 k did not affect subsequent health or performance. Overall shrinkage of the fasted pigs that were transported 563 km vs those that were not transported during Trial 4 was not different (8.8 vs 9.1%; P greater than .05). In conclusion, one-owner feeder pigs can cope with the stress of fasting and transporting long distances without any extended detrimental effects on subsequent health and performance.

Serum chemical profile of feeder pigs, as influenced by market stress and feeding regimen

Two hundred eighty-eight crossbred feeder pigs were used in 2 trials to determine the effects of feed and/or water deprivation at an auction market, and the effects of restricting the intake of the receiving diet on their serum chemical profile. The study also was designed to assess the value of the serum chemical profile as a diagnostic data base for stress disorders in feeder pigs. Performance data indicated that feeder pigs provided water only at the auction facilities lost significantly more weight than did those provided feed and water. Feeder pigs deprived of both feed and water were not significantly different in body weight from either group. Several serum chemical values (creatinine, triglycerides, cholesterol, blood urea nitrogen, and lactate dehydrogenase) were significantly influenced by feed deprivation, but not by feed and water deprivation. However, only the serum creatinine values were significantly different after the 24-hour posttransport period. There were no significant differences in pig weight or serum chemical values 84 days after pigs had arrived at the finishing unit. The serum chemical profile, widely used in human medicine, appears not to provide a reliable marker for identification of short-term nutritional deprivation, nor for transport stress in feeder pigs.

Effects of feed or water restriction, antibiotic injection and receiving diet management on commingled feeder pig performance

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of 1) long-acting oxytetracycline injection at market arrival, 2) feed or water access at the auction market and 3) receiving diet management on commingled feeder pig performance. A total of 288 commingled feeder pigs transported over 1,000 km after market management treatments were used in two trials. Pigs given access to feed and water (FW) at the market weighed more (P less than .001) following marketing and transport than pigs given water only (W). Pigs given neither feed nor water (N) were intermediate in arrival weight (19.7, 18.7 and 18.9 kg). There was no effect (P greater than .1) of feed and water offering at the market on final weight (96.6, 95.9 and 96.6 kg), overall average daily gain (.70, .69 and .70 kg/d), overall gain/feed (.31, .31, .32) or percentage death loss (1.0, 2.1 and 4.2%). Injection of long-acting oxytetracycline upon arrival at auction market had no effect (P greater than .1) on pig weight following marketing and transport (19.0 vs 19.2 kg), final weight (96.1 vs 97.0 kg), percentage death loss (3.4 vs 1.4%) or percentage of pigs treated (3.4 vs 4.9%). Compared to providing ad libitum access to feed, restricting feed intake by floor feeding for the first 7 d post-arrival reduced (P less than .01) rate of gain for the first 9 d (-.04 vs. .08 kg/d), but overall there was no effect (P greater than .1) on daily gain (.70 vs .69 kg/d) or gain/feed (.31 vs .31).

Effect of fasting and transportation on various physiological parameters and meat quality of slaughter hogs

Forty-nine slaughter hogs were transported and fasted or fasted with no transport for 0 (no transport), 24, 48 and 72 h. Blood samples were taken before treatments were imposed and again prior to slaughter. Soft tissues of the ham were chemically analyzed and loin samples were evaluated by a sensory panel. Fasting and transportation decreased plasma triiodothyronine and hematocrit and increased plasma osmolality. Preslaughter treatment did not affect juiciness or desirability of cooked chops or percentage of fat in the ham soft tissues. These data suggest that although fasting and transporting of slaughter hogs may disrupt homeostasis of pigs, such physiological changes do not negatively affect meat quality.

Effect of supplemental potassium in the receiving diet and form of antibiotic on feeder pig performance

In five separate trials 901 feeder pigs (769 purchased and 132 university-raised) were used to determine the effect of level of dietary K (.64 vs 1.00 vs 1.40%), form of neoterramycin (feed-grade vs water-soluble) and a long-lasting oxytetracycline injection on subsequent performance. Purchased pigs fed a 28-d receiving diet with 1.00% K gained faster (P less than .05) than the control pigs fed a .64% K diet (.64 vs .60 kg) during a 1980 summer trial. Feed efficiency was not affected by level of dietary K. Three additional trials conducted during January, July and October of 1981 failed to substantiate this beneficial effect on rate of gain. Feeder pig performance was not different (P greater than .05) when either feed-grade or water-soluble neoterramycin was used as a 14-d receiving treatment at preventative levels. However, in one trial nearly twice as many pigs on the medicated feed diet required additional treatment for sickness compared with pigs receiving water medication (14.5 vs 7.9%; P less than .1). Giving pigs an injection of a long-lasting oxytetracycline (LA-200) either at the market or upon arrival at the finishing facility had no effect on performance; however, the pigs were home-raised rather than purchased; consequently, their health was excellent.

Effects of feed and water restriction and receiving diet crude protein on feeder pig performance

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of feed and water restriction and receiving diet crude protein level on feeder pig performance. In Exp. 1, a total of 239 commingled feeder pigs transported over 1,000 km were used in two trials. Pigs given access to feed and water (FW) at the market weighed more (P less than .0001) following marketing and transport than pigs given no feed and water (N) for the comparable 25-h market period (20.7 vs 19.6 kg). While FW pigs weighed less (P less than .02) than N pigs at the conclusion of the trials (93.9 vs 96.6 kg), there was no effect (P greater than .1) on overall average daily gain (.32 vs .35). There were no effects of receiving diets containing 12, 16 or 20% crude protein on daily gain, daily feed intake or feed efficiency for the overall growing-finishing period. Scour scores on d 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 and 14 post-arrival increased (P less than .01) with increased levels of protein in the receiving diets. In Exp. 2, a total of 360 crossbred feeder pigs was mixed and moved from a nursery to grower-finisher facilities in three trials, given feed and water access immediately (FWG) or denied access for 44 h (NG). At the end of the 44-h period, FWG pigs were heavier than NG pigs (P less than .0001; 18.3 vs 16.7 kg). There was no treatment effect on overall pig weight, daily gain or feed efficiency.

Influence of market stress and protein level on feeder pig hematologic and blood chemical values

One hundred twenty crossbred feeder pigs were used in 2 trials to determine the effects of food and water deprivation at the auction market and the effects of protein levels of receiving diet on blood chemical values. Food- and water-deprived animals had significantly higher packed-cell volume, colloid osmotic pressure, and cortisol values than did nondeprived animals. Total osmolality and plasma triiodothyronine values were significantly lower in deprived animals. Measurable effects of food and water deprivation were no longer apparent by 14 days after arrival at the research facility. Plasma colloid osmotic pressure had a positive linear relationship with increasing dietary protein level and was statistically different among levels of protein fed. Gilts had higher plasma triiodothyronine values than did barrows. Differential WBC ratios were not different between groups. Measurable differences for treatments (food and water deprivation vs food and water access; and level of protein in the receiving diet) were no longer apparent 84 days after pigs had arrived at the finishing unit.

Correlation of noninvasive surface temperature measurement with rectal temperature in swine

Skin and rectal temperature measurements were taken on 15 crossbred sows and gilts (225 kg) during the last 5 days of prepartum period and compared with those recorded in the first 8 days after parturition. The correlation of skin and rectal temperature values was not good during either period, although an increased correlation was noted in the postparturient period. The rectal temperature significantly (P less than 0.05) increased in the postparturient period, but the mean surface temperature was unchanged. This would indicate a decreased blood flow to the surface, since an equivalent blood flow to the surface after a rectal temperature increase would result in a concomitant mean surface temperature increase. The decreased flow to the surface of the animal was selective, since a significant (P less than 0.05) decrease in surface temperature was noted at the tailhead, perineum, vulva, mammae-caudal, and eye, whereas the surface temperature of the mammae-cranial and mammae-middle was significantly (P less than 0.05) increased.