title: Response of starter pigs to supplementation of corn-soybean meal diets with organic acids.
abstract: Four growth experiments were conducted to assess the effects of organic acid supplementation on performance of starter and finisher pigs. Three 4-wk starter experiments utilized 392 pigs fed simple corn-soybean meal diets. A fourth experiment employed 135 finisher pigs in a 6-wk study. Each of the starter experiments was initiated immediately after weaning; piglets were 30 +/- 3 d of age. In Exp. 1, weanling pigs fed a 19% crude protein, simple corn-soybean meal diet were compared with pigs fed similar diets supplemented with 2% propionic, fumaric, or citric acid. Addition of each acid improved (P less than .07) efficiency of gain, while propionate depressed (P less than .05) feed intake. Additions of 1, 2, 3 or 4% fumarate were made in Exp. 2, resulting in linear daily gain and feed efficiency improvements (P less than .05). In Exp. 3, a possible protein-sparing effect of fumaric acid was investigated. Increasing protein levels from 16 to 20% improved daily gain (P less than .01) and feed efficiency (P less than .0001); fumarate supplementation (2%) increased (P less than .01) gain:feed. However, there was no protein X fumaric acid interaction. In Exp. 4, no treatment effects were noted with performance of finisher pigs fed a 14% crude protein, corn-soybean meal diet was compared with that of pigs fed similar diets supplemented with 1.5 or 3% fumaric acid.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002951:Citrates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019343:Citric Acid; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D005527:Food, Fortified; D005650:Fumarates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D011422:Propionates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013025:Glycine max; D013552:Swine / Q000378:metabolism*; D003313:Zea mays
chemical_list: D002951:Citrates; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D005650:Fumarates; D011422:Propionates; D019343:Citric Acid; C032005:fumaric acid; C029658:propionic acid