
Large pigs are the direct producers of economic benefits on pig farms, and their production performance determined the profitability of pig farms. One of the most efficient ways to improve the pig production performance is to improve the expression of nutrient. It is generally accepted that, with consistent breed and feeding management, feed intake and digestibility are the main switches that improve the expression of nutrient effects to an extent of over 95%. As a result, efficiently increasing the medium and large pig feed intake and digestibility of nutrient (especially protein) is one of the crucial ways to improve the economic efficiency of pig farming.
Chapter 1: The importance of feed intake and digestibility
1. The importance of feed intake
Studies in the last decade or so have shown that pig breed have been improved through continuous selection and breeding, with significant improvement in production performance and feed utilization. At same time, the maintenance requirement of pigs have increased, the feed intake of pigs is decreased, however. It means the lean growth of pigs is now quickly that diet can be a limiting factor even on the free-feeding condition. The feed intake to some extend is not keeping up with pig’s growth and production needs. Studies showed that, daily feed intake largely determines the growth rate and entire farming efficiency of pigs. Pigs that gain weight early and quickly will maintain its growth advantage until market and will reach slaughter weight earlier.
If pigs do not feed enough, this will significantly affect its production performance and the interests of the farmers. Scientific research and production practice both have proven that reduced feed intake will have a greatly negative impact on pig production performance and the expression of nutrient effects, and the damage is indisputable:
1)Decreased feed intake and weight gain: every 100g drop in feed intake, there is a drop in weight gain of approximately 35-45g; [Walters (2003)].
2)Decreased feed intake and feed utilization, increased feed to meat ratio: every 100g drop in feed intake, there is an increase in feed to meat ratio of approximately 0.05-0.15; [ Walters (2003)].
3)For every 100g drop in feed intake, protein deposition drops by 7.5 to 11.5g; [John and et al.(2003)].
Meanwhile, the amount of feed intake is not only related to weight gain, but also directly affects the feed conversion rate and the efficiency of protein deposition in the organism. Walters (2003) has summarized 50 experimental results:
1)The effect of feed intake on weight gain is much greater than the increase in feed intake itself: every 10% of feed intake, the weight gain increased by 15%-20%.
2)The effect of feed intake on feed to meat ratio is much greater than the increase in feed intake itself: every 10% of feed intake, the feed to meat ratio decrease by 13%-18%.
3)The effect of protein deposition on feed intake is much greater than the increase in feed intake itself: every 10% feed intake, the protein deposition increases 15%-18%.
2. The importance of digestibility
The level of digestibility is not only affects the feed utilization and animal’s production performance, but also affects the animal’s feed intake and body health.
1)Digestibility affects feed intake
(1)Wittemore (1992) assumes that the limiting condition (appetite impairment) on the amount of free-fed forage, is the yield of indigestible material and gives the following relationship:
Boundary for free-range feed intake (kg/d) = 0.013 × live weight (kg) ÷ (1-digestibility).
(2) It was found that feed digestibility was almost linearly related to pig intake (see figure below).

2). Digestibility affects the animal morbidity
In the suckling piglet stage, the incidence of associated digestive diseases (e.g. diarrhoea) due to poor nutrient digestion is over 95%. In the meantime, more than 80% of morbidity is caused by a decline in their health base (loss of fitness) as a result of pre-existing diarrhoea. And a high incidence of morbidity caused by diarrhoea which causes a morbidity rate of 10%-20%, it is a major factor in the economic losses of farmers.
In the medium and large pig stage, although nutrient dyspepsia does not manifest itself as an immediate and obvious clinical symptom, soft/thin faeces regularly occur. Incomplete digestion of feed result in high ammonia concentrations in the barn, which can affect pig production performance or cause respiratory disease, long fencing time, deteriorating meat quality, etc.
To sum up, the incidence of disease can only be effectively reduced by ensuring that the pigs’ digestive function is normal and the digestive utilization of nutrients is improved.
3) Digestibility affects the pigs’ production performance
According to the numerous experimental results by Wondral and Wilson etc. (laboratory animal—pig):
1)Every 1% digestibility increase, an increases weight gain by 1.5%~2.5%.
2)Every 1% digestibility increase, a decrease of feed to gain ratio by 1.3%~2.2%.
3)Every 1% digestibility increase, a decrease of diarrhea by 5%~8%.
From above we can tell: the effect of digestibility on pig production performance is much greater than increase the digestibility itself.
Chapter 2: The methods to improve the feed intake and digestibility
1. The methods to improve the fees intake
1). Use appropriate husbandry standards depending on the breed of animal.
2). Choose fresh and unpolluted feed raw materials.
3). Preventing oxidative rancidity of feed: adding the proper amounts of antioxidants.
4). preventing mildew of feed: adding the proper mildew preventive.
5). Improving the palatability of feed: adding the proper condiment.
2. The methods to improve the digestibility
1) Elimination of the anti-nutritional effect of anti-nutritional factors.
2) Utilizing the high digestibility diet feed raw materials.
3) Adding the enzyme preparation.
4) Adding proper acidifiers.
3. Conclusion
One of the important ways to improving the pigs feed intake and feed digestibility utilization is to adding sweetener and acidifier.
Chapter 3: Verification of sweeteners and acidifiers to improve production performance in large pigs
1. Experimental time
December 6th ~29th, 2022
2.Experimental site
Biological R&D farm (fattening farm), Suzhou XX
3.Experimental materials
Sweetener (Menonsweet) and acidifier (Fumacid) both provided by Shanghai Menon.
4.Experimental animal
A total of 150 fattening pigs of similar weight and age, half male and half female, were selected.
5.Experimental design
The experiment was divided into three groups of 50 heads each, half male and half female, fed on an open-feeding and free-drinking diet.

Postscript: Except for the additives added to the diets, the growth environment, feeding management and diet formulation were exactly the same for each group of test animals, and all other interfering factors were excluded from the test.
6. Basic diet feed.
The basic diet composition and nutritional indexes are shown in Table 2

feed production information is shown in Table 3.

7. Measure index
During the experimental time, keep a detailed record of the dead pig and calculate the death rate. The amount of feed and residual feed was recorded in pens, and the pigs were weighed at the beginning and end of the trial to calculate the average daily feed intake, average daily weight gain and meat to feed ratio.
8. Trial results
1)The impact of the pigs’ production performance
Table 4: Effect of different additive combinations on production performance and mortality of medium and large pigs.

As we can tell form Table 4, compared Menosweet Group (Group T1) with Control Group (Group C), the average daily feed intake increased by 140g per head (increased by 3.9%), the average daily weight gain increased by 90g (increased by 8.1%), feed to gain ratio decreased 0.12 (decreased by 3.7%); compared with Control Group (Group C), the average daily feed intake increased by130g per head (increased by 3.6%), the average daily weight gain increased by 190g (increased by 17.1%), feed to gain ratio decreased 0.37 (decreased by 11.5%) in the Fumacid + Menosweet Group (Group T2).
2)Impact on apparent protein digestibility and feed system acidity
Table 5: Impact on apparent protein digestibility and feed system acidity.

As we can tell from Table 5, the addition of 1.5kg per ton Fumacid to the feed of large pigs (Group T2) was effective in improving protein digestibility, which increased by 3.2 (3.9% improvement) compared to Group T1 and 4% (4.9% improvement) compared to Group C (control group) respectively.
3)Impact on economic performance of pig farms
Table 6: impact on economic performance of pig farms.

As we can see form Table 6, during the trial period, the economic efficiency of each pig in the Menosweet Group (Group T1) increased by RMB 22.77 and efficiency of each pig in the Fumacid + Menosweet Group (Group T2) increased by RMB 61.47 compared to the Control Group (Group C).
9. Conclusion
Adding proper Sweetener (Menosweet) and Acidifier (Fumacid) to the feed can efficiently improve the palatability and protein digestibility of the feed. This will improve the pigs’ production performance and feed utilization, and ultimately improve the economic efficiency of pig farming.
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