Response of Starter Pigs to Supplementation of Corn-Soybean Meal Diets with Organic Acids

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Abstract
Four growth experiments were conducted to assess the effects of organic acid supplementation on performance of starter and finisher pigs. Three 4-wk starter experiments utilized 392 pigs fed simple corn-soybean meal diets. A fourth experiment employed 135 finisher pigs in a 6-wk study. Each of the starter experiments was initiated immediately after weaning; piglets were 30 ± 3 d of age. In Exp. 1, weanling pigs fed a 19% crude protein, simple corn-soybean meal diet were compared with pigs fed similar diets supplemented with 2% propionic, fumaric, or citric acid. Addition of each acid improved (P<.07) efficiency of gain, while propionate depressed (P<.05) feed intake. Additions of 1, 2, 3 or 4% fumarate were made in Exp. 2, resulting in linear daily gain and feed efficiency improvements (P<.05). In Exp. 3, a possible protein-sparing effect of fumaric acid was investigated. Increasing protein levels from 16 to 20% improved daily gain (P<.01) and feed efficiency (P<.0001); fumarate supplementation (2%) increased (P<.01) gain:feed. However, there was no protein × fumaric acid interaction. In Exp. 4, no treatment effects were noted with performance of finisher pigs fed a 14% crude protein, corn-soybean meal diet was compared with that of pigs fed similar diets supplemented with 1.5 or 3% fumaric acid. Copyright © 1985. American Society of Animal Science. Copyright 1985 by American Society of Animal Science

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