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Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of two levels of botanical extracts and botanical extracts in combination with calcium gluconate on sow and pig performance. A total of 541 sows (average parity 2.6, range 0-8) were used in 9 weekly farrow groups. Sows were housed in individual farrow stalls 5 d before the expected farrow date where treatments diets were fed until weaning at 21 d post farrowing. Sows were fed a fortified corn, soybean meal, and corn DDGS diet meeting or exceeding NRC 2012 nutrient requirements for lactating sows. The two test ingredients were 1) botanical extracts contained a proprietary formulation of turmeric, capsicum, and black pepper oleoresins (Fytera Care, Selko USA, Indianapolis, IN), and 2) calcium gluconate replaced corn in the diet. A general gestation diet void of test ingredients was fed before housing and after weaning. Dietary treatments were: 1) basal lactation diet (CON), 2) 150 ppm botanical extracts (150TCB), 3) 200 ppm botanical extracts (200TCB), and 4) 150 botanical extracts and 1000 ppm calcium gluconate (150TCB+CaG). During lactation, sows were allowed ad libitum access to water and feed. Pigs had unlimited access to sow and water. Pigs were cross-fostered within dietary treatments within 24 h of birth to meet a minimum of 75% and maximum of 2 pigs in excess of functional teats of the sow. Excess pigs were fostered to non-treatment nurse sows. Pig mortalities were recorded daily. Weaned sows were observed for 14 d for estrus detection. Statistical analyses included a two-way ANOVA with fixed effect of dietary treatment, random effect of farrow room, and parity as a covariate. Treatment contrasts were analyzed by Student’s t-test. Sow performance measures did not significantly differ between treatments (Table). Pig mortality was significantly (P 0.001) reduced for both 150TCB and 200TCB compared with CON and 150TCB+CaG treatments. Other pig performance measures were not significantly affected. However, treatment contrasts showed a greater (P 0.05) pig weaning weight for 200TCB compared with the CON. Analyzing data by parity class of 0, 1-5, 6-8 showed that piglet mortality was affected significantly (P 0.02) in parities 1-5 and 6-8 but not in parity 0. Pig weaning weight tended (P 0.06) to be affected in parity 0, but not in higher parity sows. Treatment contrasts showed a greater weaning weight for pigs on the 150AFP and 150TCB+CaG treatments versus CON. In conclusion, feeding botanical extracts at 150 and 200 ppm decreased pig mortality and the addition of calcium gluconate negated the improvement in mortality.
Ligt et al. (Wed,) studied this question.