Influence of dietary electrolyte balance on feed preference and growth performance of postweaned piglets1

Abstract

A total of 672 male and female piglets (21 d postweaning; approximately 13 kg BW) were selected to be used in 3 different experiments to assess the influence of dietary electrolyte balance (dEB; Na + K - Cl, in mEq/kg of diet) on feed preference and growth performance. In Exp. 1, piglets were fed 4 isoenergetic diets differing in dEB level: 16, 133, 152, and 269 mEq/kg diets. Changes on dEB were obtained by changing the levels of sodium and chloride with calcium chloride, calcium carbonate, and sodium bicarbonate. Piglets fed the 16 and 133 mEq/kg diets achieved a greater ADG (P < 0.04), BW (P < 0.04), and apparent total-tract digestibility of CP and Zn (P < 0.05) than did piglets fed the 269 mEq/kg diet. The 16 mEq/kg level also reduced blood total CO (P < 0.01), bicarbonate (P < 0.01), and base excess (P < 0.02) concentrations compared with the rest of the dietary treatments. Three diets differing in dEB were designed for Exp. 2 and 3: -16, 151, and 388 mEq/kg diets. In Exp. 2, greater ADFI (P = 0.03), BW (P = 0.02), ADG (P < 0.001), and G:F (P < 0.01) were observed for piglets fed the -16 mEq/kg diet than those fed the 388 mEq/kg diet. Subsequently, their short-term preference for these diets was assessed by using a 2-d choice-test protocol (30 min). Piglets preferred (P < 0.001) the 388 mEq/kg diet to the -16 mEq/kg diet, independently of the dietary treatment they received before. Pigs also preferred (P < 0.001) the 151 mEq/kg diet when compared with the -16 mEq/kg diet. Experiment 3 assessed the long-term preference and short-term consumption of the -16 and 388 mEq/kg diets. Similar to Exp. 2, animals showed a greater (P < 0.001) intake of the 388 mEq/kg diet than they did of the -16 mEq/kg diet during both the preference (14 d) and 1-feeder (2 h) tests conducted. Results show that low rather than high dEB levels optimize growth performance of piglets. When they have the opportunity to choose, piglets are unable to select the diet that optimizes their performance, either in short- or in long-term preference tests, showing also a greater short-term consumption of high instead of low dEB levels.

Evaluation of dietary electrolyte balance on nursery pig performance1

“…Because many common U.S. nursery diet formulations exceed 150 mEq/kg, these results are important. However, the results from Guzman-Pino et al (2015) contradict those who reported improved growth performance with increasing dietary dEB ( Patience et al, 1987 ; Dersjant-Li et al, 2001 ; DeRouchey et al, 2003 ). To solve the discrepancies among literatures, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of dEB on growth performance of nursery pigs in a commercial scale research facility.…”

“…Traditionally, the optimal dEB for pigs is reported to be approximately 250 mEq/kg ( NRC, 2012 ), but limited research exists in this area. Recently, Guzmán-Pino et al (2015) used CaCl 2 to reduce dEB and reported that nursery pigs had reduced ADG and G:F when dEB exceeded 150 mEq/kg; in addition, ADG was improved by 48.7% by decreasing dEB from 269 to 16 mEq/kg. Because many common U.S. nursery diet formulations exceed 150 mEq/kg, these results are important.…”

What Is the Impact of Diet on Nutritional Diarrhea Associated with Gut Microbiota in Weaning Piglets: A System Review

“…Animal feed adds minerals not only to satisfy the mineral requirements but also to modify the dietary electrolyte balance (EB) [129]. e balance between cation (Na+) and anions (K + /Cl -) and the acid or alkaline load from the diet may strongly alter the acid-base status and growth performance of weaned piglets [130,131]. It is reported that an excess of chloride ions induces a negative dietary EB and reduces the growth performance of weaned piglets [132][133][134].…”

“…In short, a dietary addition of minerals in postweaning diets, such as calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate, could affect the EB and significantly alter the feeding behavior, apparent digestibility, and productive performance of postweaned piglets. Additionally, piglets showed a bias toward low-EB diets, which optimized their performance more so than that for high-EB diets [130,135].…”

“…Electrolyte balance plays a critical role in intestinal phenotype and function [140]. e disorder of daily electrolyte balance after weaning makes a large contribution to postweaning diarrhea, induces severe intestinal electrolyte turbulence, and negatively affects the piglets' growth performance after weaning through excessive loss of salt and water [130,133].…”