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A total of 1,008 weanling pigs (5.44 kg and 19 d of age) were used in a 42-d experiment to compare different antibiotic regimens on growth performance and economic return. From d 0 to 11 and d 11 to 21, pigs were fed diets containing no antibiotic, a combination of Tiamulin at 35 g/ton and chlortetracycline at 400 g/ton, or Tilmicosin (363 g/ton from d 0 to 11 and 181 g/ton from d 11 to 21). From d 21 to 42, pigs previously fed Tiamulin or Tilmicosin were fed diets containing no medication, Tiamulin, or a combination of Carbadox at 25 g/ton and oxytetracycline at 400 g per ton.
Adding Tiamulin or Tilmicosin to the diet from d 0 to 11 and d 11 to 21 improved (P < 0.01) ADG, ADFI, F/G, and income over feed cost (IOFC). There were no differences (P > 0.21) in ADG or ADFI between pigs fed Tiamulin and pigs fed Tilmicosin; however, pigs fed Tiamulin tended to have better (P < 0.09) F/G from d 0 to 21. Feed cost was also lower (P < 0.01) and IOFC was greater (P < 0.03) from d 0 to 21 for pigs fed Tiamulin than for pigs fed Tilmicosin. Adding Tiamulin or Carbadox to the diet from d 21 to 42 increased (P < 0.05) ADG, ADFI, and IOFC compared with feeding no antibiotic, but there were no differences (P > 0.17) in pig performance or IOFC between pigs fed Tiamulin and Carbadox. For the overall trial, adding antibiotics to the diet during any phase improved (P < 0.05) ADG, ADFI, F/G, and IOFC.
It is concluded that adding antibiotics to the nursery diet improved pig performance and economical return on this commercial farm.
MU Steidinger, MD Tokach, D Dau, SS Dritz, JM DeRouchey, RD Goodband, and JL Nelssen. 2009. Swine Day, Kansas State University. 122-131.
