The Influence of Dietary Alfalfa: Orchardgrass Hay and Lasalocid on Nutrient Utilization and Reproductive Performance by Gravid Swine

Gravid crossbred sows were used to evaluate four dietary treatments: corn-alfalfa:orchardgrass hay (CH); CH plus lasalocid (CHL); corn-soybean meal (CS), and CS plus lasalocid. Various buffers, incubation times, buffer pH, and substrate/inocula sources were used in an in vitro anaerobic mixed culture system. A 24 h incubation was representative of cecal digesta retention. The bicarbonate buffer decreased substrate solubility and increased in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD). The CS diet increased IVDMD. Cecal contents substrate decreased IVDMD while cecal liquid inocula increased IVDMD. When substrate and inocula were from the same source and at pH 5.8, IVDMD improved. Dietary lasalocid increased propionate and decreased acetate molar percentages, while hay feeding increased acetate and decreased propionate molar percentages of cecal contents. Hay feeding increased digesta rate of passage and decreased cecal digesta retention. Metabolism trials were conducted at 40 and 80 d postcoitum. Percentage digestible energy and metabolizable energy and percentage nitrogen digestibility were greater for CS- and CSL-fed sows. Lasalocid did not influence energy utilization. Lasalocid increased percentage nitrogen digestibility; however, the diet x additive interaction decreased nitrogen retention for CSL-fed sows. Hay-fed sows digested more grams of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber but had lower percentage digestibilities of fiber fractions. The diet x additive interaction decreased percentages of mineral (Ca, P, K) digested and decreased mineral (Ca, P, Mg, K) retained, expressed as a percentage of intake, for CSL-fed sows. Sow reproductive performance was evaluated through two successive gestation/lactation periods. Dietary treatment was initiated at 35 d postcoitum and continued until parturition. There were no significant differences among dietary treatments in number of live piglets born, piglet birth weight, piglet weight at 14 d of age, or sow rebreeding efficiency. Lasalocid-fed sows had more live piglets at 14 d postpartum and lower total fat percentage in colostrum. Hay feeding decreased backfat deposition during gestation, increased weight loss from 109 d postcoitum to 14 d postpartum, and increased lactation feed consumption.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Animal Sciences

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Holzgraefe, David Paul

• Agriculture, Animal Culture and Nutrition

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8502177

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/70022