BackgroundThe aim of this study was to use mathematical modeling to identify and quantify the main factors that affect daily feed intake (DFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in grow-finishing (GF) pig units. We evaluated the production records of 93 GF farms between 2010 and 2013, linked to a company, working in a cooperative system, located in western Paraná State, Brazil. A total of 683 batches, consisting of approximately 495,000 animals, were used. Forty production factors related to the management, health, plant and equipment, nutrition, genetics and environment were considered. The number of pigs per pen, type of feeder, origin and sex (the last two variables were combined in the models) of the animals and initial and final body weights were included in the final models to predict DFI and FCR (dependent variables). Additionally, the duration of the GF phase was included for the parameter FCR. All factors included in the final models had significant effects for both dependent variables.ResultsThere was a reduction in DFI (0.04 kg) (P < 0.001) and an improvement in FCR (6.0 points) (P < 0.001) in batches from pens with less than 20 animals compared with batches from pens with more than 20 animals. In barns with “other” feeder types (mostly the linear dump type) different of conical semiautomatic feeder, a reduction of DFI (0.03 kg) (P < 0.05) and improved FCR (3.0 points) (P < 0.05) were observed. Batches of barrows from units specialized for producing piglets (SPU) had higher DFI (approximately 0.02 kg) (P < 0.01) than batches of females and batches of mixed animals from SPU, and batches of mixed animals from farms not specialized for piglet production (farrow-to-finish farms). Batches of females from SPU and mixed batches from SPU had better FCR (5.0 and 3.0 points respectively) (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively) than batches of piglets originating from farrow-to-finish farms. The variables selected for the final models explained approximately 50 and 64 % of the total variance in DFI and FCR, respectively.ConclusionsThe models are tools for the interpretation of the factors related to the evaluated parameters, aiding in the identification of critical aspects of production. The main parameters affecting DFI and FCR in this company during the GF period were the number of pigs per pen, the type of feeder used and the combination origin-sex of the animals.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of commercial blends of organic and inorganic acids combined with essential oils for piglets in the nursery phase. The formulations were administered as microcapsules or as acid salts. Ninety-six, Pen Ar Lan, barrow and female piglets, weaned at a body weight of 600 kg ± 12 kg and age of 23 days were subjected to four treatments. The animals were distributed in randomized blocks of three animals per pen and 8 replicates per treatment. The treatments consisted of four different diets: control (free of organic acids); acid and essential oil blends (fumaric acid 10,5%, malic acid 8.0%, essential oils; in microencapsulated form); microencapsulated acid blend (phosphoric acid 10%, citric acid 10%, malic acid 10%, fumaric acid 20%; in microencapsulated form); and acid salt blend (formic acid 40.5%, phosphoric acid 13.6%, propionic acid 4.9% and salts (23.2% calcium and 4.4% phosphorus available). The performance parameters, digestive transit time, weights of organs of the digestive tract, bacterial count of feces (Lactobacillus, E coli and Salmonella ssp and Clostridium), pH of the stomach and duodenal content did not differ between treatment groups (P> 005). All treatments containing organic acids exhibited positive effects on diarrhea control (P <005). The cecal contents of volatile fatty acids (VFA) were higher in piglets fed diets containing acids than in animals that received the control diet (P <005), and blends containing essential oils improved the jejunum villus height compared with the control group. The use of diets containing acids improved diarrhea control and VFA production in the cecum, and specifically the diets containing microencapsulated acid blends required the lowest doses to be effective. Key words: Diarrhea. Organic acids. Villi. Volatile fatty acids. ResumoO objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o uso de misturas comerciais de ácidos orgânicos e inorgânicos, associados a óleos essenciais, para leitões em fase de creche. Os produtos testados foram administrados na forma microencapsulada ou como sais de ácidos. Foram utilizados 96 leitões da linhagem Pen Ar Lan, machos castrados e fêmeas, desmamados com 6,00 kg ± 1,2 kg de peso vivo e 23 dias de idade, submetidos a quatro tratamentos. Os animais foram distribuídos em blocos ao acaso, em baias com três animais, contemplando oito repetições por tratamento. seguintes dietas: controle (livre de ácidos orgânicos); mistura de ácidos e óleos essenciais: (ácido fumárico: 10,5%, ácido málico: 8,0%, óleos essenciais; na forma microencapsulada); mistura de ácidos microencapsulados (ácido fosfórico: 10%, ácido cítrico: 10%, ácido málico: 10%, ácido fumárico: 20%; na forma microencapsulada); mistura de sais de ácidos (ácido fórmico: 40,5%, ácido fosfórico: 13,6%, ácido propiônico: 4,9% e seus sais: 23,2% de cálcio e 4,4% fósforo disponível). Não houve diferença entre os tratamentos para os parâmetros de desempenho, tempo de trânsito da dieta, peso dos órgãos do trato digestório, contagem bacteriana na...

A produção animal intensiva exige estratégias sanitárias que aliem efetividade e economicidade. A cadeia suinícola exibe produtividade elevada com demandas crescentes no aspecto de saúde animal. A limitação de promotores de crescimento na produção animal gerou a necessidade de substitutos a esses produtos. Os ácidos orgânicos e dos fitogênicos têm sido utilizados com este enfoque, sendo pouco explorados ou pouco conhecidos os vários outros benefícios que desenvolvem. O objetivo desta revisão é permitir que sejam conhecidos de forma plena as características pouco tratadas dos ácidos orgânicos e os fitogênicos, potenciais substitutos dos promotores de crescimento.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of compensatory gain associated with the use of 10ppm ractopamine after a period of feed restriction in finishing pigs on performance, carcass and meat quality. Twenty castrated males and 20 females, at 110 days of age and 66.137±6.13kg live weight, were submitted to four treatments using a 2 x 2 factorial design (fed ad libitum or with 20% restriction between 021 days of age and fed with or without 10ppm ractopamine for 2242 days of experimentation), with 10 replicates (animals). There was no interaction between the factors for any of the evaluated parameters. Animals treated with ractopamine presented better weight gain (1.083 versus 1.259kg), feed conversion (2.910 versus 2.577), warm and cold carcass weight (86.08 versus 89.00 and 83.46 versus 87.20kg, respectively), loin depth (63.02 versus 68.40mm), loin eye area (41.43 versus 46.59mm 2 ) and muscle fiber diameter (27.48 versus 35.85μm). Animals submitted to feed restriction followed by ad libitum feed presented compensatory gain without losses to carcass and meat characteristics, but with a reduction in the ethereal extract (2.19 versus 1.64%) and lower water loss due to thawing in the meat (11.35 versus 9.42%). The effects of compensatory gain after food restriction and ractopamine are independent of the parameters evaluated.Keywords: swine, beta-adrenergic, fat, food management, weight gain (86,08 versus 89,00 e 83,46 versus 87,20kg, respectivamente), profundidade do lombo (63,02 versus 68,40mm), área de olho de lombo (41,43 versus 46,59mm 2 ) e diâmetro de fibras musculares (27,48 versus 35,85µm Palavras-chave: suíno, beta-adrenérgico, ganho de peso, gordura, manejo alimentar RESUMO Objetivou

Resumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar e quantificar, por meio de modelos de regressão linear múltipla, os fatores de produção que afetam o consumo diário de ração e a conversão alimentar de suínos nas fases de crescimento e terminação, em granjas integradas a uma cooperativa. Foram avaliados os históricos produtivos de 690 lotes, que representavam aproximadamente 363 mil animais alojados entre 2010 e 2013 em 118 granjas vinculadas a uma cooperativa do Estado do Paraná. Foram considerados 44 fatores de produção relacionados a instalações, manejo, sanidade, genética e alimentação. O consumo diário de ração (CDR) foi menor nos lotes oriundos de granjas com árvores nas laterais dos galpões e naqueles formados apenas por fêmeas. Já a conversão alimentar (CA) foi melhor para os lotes provenientes de granjas com árvores nas laterais dos galpões, alojados no verão/outono, oriundos de granjas edificadas em alvenaria e que apresentavam composteira e unidades especializadas produtoras de leitões. Os pesos de entrada e de saída dos lotes influenciaram o CDR, e o peso de entrada e a duração do período de engorda, a CA. Os modelos de regressão linear múltipla possibilitam identificar variáveis de importância e estimar seus efeitos sobre a conversão alimentar e o consumo diário de ração de suínos nas fases de crescimento e terminação.Termos para indexação: consumo diário de ração, conversão alimentar, equações, regressão múltipla. Factors affecting the performance of pigs in the growing and finishing phasesAbstract -The objective of this work was to identify and quantify, through multiple linear regression models, the factors of production that affect the daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio of pigs in the growing and finishing phases, in farms linked to a company. The production records of 690 batches were evaluated, representing approximately 363 thousand animals housed between 2010 and 2013 in 118 commercial farms linked to a company in the state of Paraná, Brazil. Forty-four factors of production related to facilities, management, health status, genetics, and feeding were considered. Daily feed intake (DFI) was lower in batches from farms that had trees planted on the sides of the barns and in those formed only by females. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was better in batches from farms with trees on the sides of the barns, housed during summer/fall, originated from farms with barns built of masonry and that had compost bins and specialized units for producing piglets. The initial and final weights of the batches affected DFI, and the initial weight and duration of the growing and finishing phases, the FCR. The multiple linear regression models allow identifying important variables and estimating their effects on FCR and DFI of pigs in the growing and finishing phases.Index terms: daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, equations, multiple regression. IntroduçãoNa suinocultura, as fases de crescimento e terminação são consideradas complexas e sujeitas a muitas variáveis, com grandes transformações nos ...