title: Addition of chromic oxide to creep feed as a fecal marker for selection of creep feed-eating suckling pigs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the addition of chromic oxide (Cr(2)O(3)) to creep feed could be used as a visual marker in feces for selection of creep feed-eating suckling pigs.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 suckling pigs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Via syringe, 5 pigs (2 to 3 days old on day 0; 1 pig/treatment) from each of 4 litters received oral administrations of 10, 20, 30, or 40 g of creep feed containing 10 g of Cr(2)O(3)*kg(1) on each of 2 consecutive days (days 20 and 21) or 30 g of creep feed containing 10 g of Cr(2)O(3)*kg(1) on day 20 and 30 g of Cr(2)O(3)-free creep feed on day 21. On days 21 through 24, 6 fecal samples were collected from each pig at regular intervals between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Green-colored feces were considered indicative of creep feed consumption (eaters). Data analyses were based on single and multiple fecal samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On day 22, evaluation of 1 fecal sample/pig and multiple fecal samples per pig resulted in identification of as many as 40% and only 15% of the feed-treated pigs wrongly as noneaters, respectively. Repeated sampling over multiple days would identify 99% of eaters accurately. Pigs erroneously identified as noneaters were those administered either low amounts of Cr(2)O(3)-supplemented creep feed for 2 days or Cr(2)O(3)-supplemented creep feed on only 1 day.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data suggest that addition of Cr(2)O(3) to creep feed enables selection of individual creep feed-eating suckling pigs via examination of feces, provided that repeated fecal samples are evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wikke I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Kuller
authors.forename: Hetty M G
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: van Beers-Schreurs
authors.forename: Nicoline M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Soede
authors.forename: Marcel A M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Taverne
authors.forename: Bas
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: Jos H M
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Verheijden
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D017608:Chromium Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D003116:Color; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011897:Random Allocation; D013552:Swine / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017608:Chromium Compounds; C023600:chromic oxide