title: Effects of zeolite a or clinoptilolite in diets of growing swine.
abstract: Growth, nutrient balance, plasma ammonia levels and urinary p-cresol excretion were evaluated in growing pigs fed diets containing various levels of zeolite A or clinoptilolite. In one growth trial, crossbred pigs averaging 25 kg initial body weight were assigned to diets containing no zeolite, .3% zeolite A or .5% clinoptilolite for a 6-wk growing phase trial. Average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADF) and feed/gain (F/G) were unaffected by supplementation of either zeolite in the diet, but metabolizable energy (ME) utilization was improved by feeding diets containing either zeolite. A second growth trial utilized the same crossbred pigs, which averaged 65 kg initial body weight, and were assigned to diets containing no zeolite, 1% zeolite A or 5% clinoptilolite for an 8-wk finishing phase trial. Average daily gain, ADF, and ME utilization were unaffected by feeding either zeolite diet, while F/G was increased in pigs fed the diet containing 5% clinoptilolite. In two nutrient balance trials, 16 crossbred pigs averaging 7.5 kg in initial body weight were fed diets containing 0, 1, 2 or 3% zeolite A in one trial and 16 crossbred pigs averaging 7.0 kg initial body weight were fed diets containing 0, 2.5, 5.0 or 7.5% clinoptilolite in a second trial. In both trials, digestible energy, ME, N-corrected ME and ME corrected for N balance and zeolite levels were linearly reduced as increasing amounts of either zeolite were fed. Daily fecal N increased and apparent digestibility of N was linearly reduced by feeding increasing amounts of zeolite A or clinoptilolite. Biological value of protein was improved linearly as higher levels of zeolite A were fed, indicating that there may be some ammonia binding to zeolite A in the gastrointestinal tract. Net protein utilization was reduced by feeding increasing levels of clinoptilolite in the diet. Calcium, P, Mg, Na, K and Fe retentions were linearly reduced by feeding increasing amounts of zeolite A in the diet, while increasing levels of clinoptilolite caused only P retention to be linearly reduced. Both free and conjugated forms of urinary p-cresol were linearly reduced by feeding increasing levels of clinoptilolite. Plasma ammonia levels were reduced at subsequent bleedings after a meal and by increasing levels of clinoptilolite.
mesh_terms: D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D005503:Food Additives; D008297:Male; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*; D017641:Zeolites
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D005503:Food Additives; D008903:Minerals; D017641:Zeolites; D000641:Ammonia