Effect of Feeding Sarsaponin in Cattle and Swine Diets

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Abstract
In four trials, steer calves were received in the feedlot, processed and fed diets supplemented with soybean meal (SBM), 1% urea (UR) or 1% urea plus sarsaponin (S) over a 28-d period. In trials 1 and 2, the feeding period was extended to approximately 62 d, in which steers were fed a common (SBM) diet the last 34 d. In trials 3 and 4, a SBM plus S diet treatment was included. During the first 28 d (four trial summary) daily gains of steers fed urea plus S (.74 kg) were intermediate to and significantly different from gains of steers fed SBM (.84 kg) or UR (.66 kg) diets. However, at the end of the 62-d feeding period (two trial summary) daily gains, feed intakes and feed efficiency did not differ (P>.05) among treatments. No significant improvements in performance were found in steers fed SBM diets supplemented with S. In swine trials, pigs were fed diets containing no additive, 63 mg S·kg−1, 55 mg chlortetracycline (C)·kg−1 or S plus C in a grower-finisher (GF) and grower (G) trial. In the GF trial, overall efficiency of feed conversion was improved (P<.05) by feeding S or S plus C. In the G trial, daily gains and intakes were greatest for pigs fed S plus C and differed (P<.1) from those of pigs fed S or C in the diet. Compared with feeding S or C alone, gain and intake of growing pigs were stimulated to a greater extent when S was fed in combination with C. Feeding S with or without C improved efficiency of feed conversion in finishing pigs. Copyright © 1987. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1987 by American Society of Animal Science.