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EFFECTS OF FAT ON GROWING-FINISHING PIG PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICSEighty-four crosse bred gilts were used to evaluate the effects of dietary choice white grease (CWG) or poultry fat (PF) on growth performance, carcass sharacteristics and quality characteristics of longissimus muscle (LM), belly, and bacon of growing-finishing pigs. Pigs (initially 132 lb) were fed either a control diet with no added fat or diets containing 2, 4, or 6 percent CWG or PF. Diets were fed from 132 to 243 lbs body weight and contained 2.26 g lysine/Meal ME. Pigs fed the control diet, 2 percent fat, and 4 percent fat diet had greater average daily feed intake than pigs fed 6 percent fat. Feeding dietary fat (regardless of source or level) reduced the amount of saturated fats present in the muscle. SUMMARY Dietary fat can be used to increase the energy intake and resulting ADG of growing finishing pigs. Dietary additions of up to 6 percent CWG or PF can be made with little effect on quality of pork LM, belly, or bacon. The Land O Lake's Farmland Feed Lean Gain Plus feeding program contains about 3.0% added dietary fat. Choice white grease is the preferred fat source for nursery diets where fat quality is critical. Other fat sources can be used successfully in growing, finishing and breeding herd diets. *ANY IRREGULARITY IN FEED INTAKE OF PIGS CAN BE LINKED TO GASTRIC ULCER DEVELOPMENT* THE ROLE OF FEED PROCESSING AND FEED DEPRIVATION IN DEVELOPMENT OF GASTRIC ULCERS With the widespread use of Europeon genotypes and modern grain processing techniques, stomach ulcers have emeerged as a major health concern in U.S. swine operations. Research at Kansas State University indicates that, for each 100 micron decrease in average particle size of corn in swine diets, there is 1.3% improvement iin feed efficiency. However, the incidence of kerantinization and/or ulceration also tend to increase in pigs when feed particle size is reduced. (Dr. Joe Hancock of Kansas State University. Presented at the 2000 Leman Swine Conference). Dr. Robert Friendship and associates (Canadian Vet. Journal, V:41, 2000) conclude that any irregularity in feed intake of pigs can be linked to gastric ulcer development. In this study, 60% of pigs that were fasted for 24 hours developed gasteric ulcers. In a similar trial, pigs that were fasted were almost 2 times as likely to develop gastric ulcers (Melnichouk et al. Canadian Vet. Journal, V:63, 1999). SUMMARY Occasionally changing from fine-ground to coarse-ground and then back to fine-ground diets could be an effective measure to prevent ulcers in pigs, while capturing most of the benefits in growth efficiency from fine grinding. Overcrowding, restricted access to water, mistakinly running out of feed, lack of feeder space, frequent moving and mixing, hot weather, and feeder malfunction can all result in pigs with empty stomachs and the development of gastric ulcers. |
