Folic Acid, Para-Aminobenzoic Acid and Anti-Pernicious Anemia Liver Extract in Swine Nutrition

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Abstract
During a 7-week trial, no beneficial effect on external appearance, growth, or efficiency of feed utilization was obtained when either folic acid or para-aminobenzoic acid was added alone or in combination with inositol and biotin to a purified basal ration which contained the 6 B-complex vitamins — thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, and choline. The addition of folic acid or para-aminobenzoic acid alone to the basal purified ration stimulated hemoglobin formation to a small extent. However, when folic acid was added to the purified basal ration in addition to the liver extract or other vitamins, it did not stimulate hemoglobin formation. It is possible that this may have been due to some vitamin imbalance. The addition of folic acid alone to the basal purified ration resulted in higher hemoglobin values than those obtained with pigs fed a natural grain ration containing 30% fish meal. The provision of folic acid to pigs fed a natural grain ration containing tankage did not have any effect on hemoglobin formation although it caused some stimulation of growth during the first 4 weeks and caused the pigs to be cleaner in appearance and have bigger appetites at the end of the experimental period. This may also mean that even though folic acid does not help growth with a purified ration, it may, under certain conditions, promote growth with natural grain rations. One pig, being injected with the anti-pernicious anemia liver extract, reacted to it abnormally. The pig made poor gains, developed rough and scaly skin, and a brownish exudate throughout the surface of the body. Sulfathalidine, fed at a level of approximately 0.65 gm per 10 pounds of body weight, was effective in preventing the scours, characterized by a grayish feces, which occurred periodically with the pigs fed purified rations even in the group where all the known vitamins were fed.