Final Exam - Nutrition Fundamentals

Feeding Requirements for Pigs
- Pigs require high starch diets, primarily from corn, and low levels of cellulose (fiber).
- Amylase enzymes are responsible for starch digestion.
- Main focus:
- Energy needs through high-starch feeds.
- Essential amino acids (AA) from protein sources such as soybean meal (SBM), distillers grains, fish meal, and pure amino acids.
- Important AAs: lysine, methionine, and tryptophan.
- Water-soluble vitamins: niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid.
- Fat-soluble vitamins: A, B, D, E, K.
- Utilization of phosphorus (P) in feed grains through phytase enzyme addition.

Lysine Requirements:
- Levels start high in young pigs and decrease as they age.
- Key Concepts:
- Lysine is the first limiting amino acid.
- Tryptophan and methionine are also limiting in corn and SBM, complementing each other.
- Corn is low in lysine; SBM is high in lysine.

Fats in Diets:
- Increase energy density of diets by including corn oil or animal fat.
- Essential fats: linoleic and linolenic.
- Fat digestion occurs in the small intestine aided by bile from the gall bladder and lipase from the pancreas.
Protein Sources:
- Major protein feeds supply amino acids.
- Digestion starts in the stomach using hydrochloric acid (HCl) and pepsin, continued in the small intestine with enzymes like trypsin and chymotrypsin.

Pelleting: Enhances palatability and intake.
- Outcomes: Approx. 5% improvement in daily gain, 10% improvement in feed efficiency.
- Associated costs and grinding adjustments to create 700-800 microns feed (0.7-0.8 mm) while addressing stomach ulcer risks.

Select replacement females when they reach 250-275 lb.
Transition from ad libitum to limited intake and feed a gestation diet.
Flushing:
- Increase nutrition before breeding to enhance ovulation and embryo formation.

Feed limit set to 3-5 lb/hd/d to manage weight gain and prevent obesity.
Maintain fiber intake to prevent constipation with ingredients like oats, beet pulp, dehydrated alfalfa, and wheat bran.

Provide ad libitum intake to meet energy demands, though sows typically lose weight post-weaning.
Recommended feeding: 5 lb plus 1 lb per piglet to maintain good condition and support estrus cycles post-weaning.
Addition of fats increases energy intake.

Iron Supplementation: Necessary since milk is low in iron to prevent anemia.
Ensure colostrum for antibodies within the first 24 hours for immunity.
Typically wean piglets at 21-28 days of age, coinciding with peak milk production and immunity concerns.

Grower Phase (40-110 lb):
- Ad libitum intake for stable growth.
Finishing Phase (110 lb to 275 lb):
- Increased intake with a decrease in protein (lysine) needs; feed conversion ratio (F:G) improves to 3-4 lb consumed for 1 lb weight gain.

Mineral Requirements:
- Selenium: Protects against cell membrane damage; regulated feeding.
- Phosphorus: Vital for bone formation; needs to be made bioavailable with phytase due to binding in grains.
- Excess phosphorus may lead to health issues.
Vitamin Requirements:
- Fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, K can be stored by the body.
- Water-soluble vitamins produced by microbes (not present in pigs) must be consumed daily.

Focus on Dry Matter Intake (DMI):
- Intake varies by body weight and stage of production (pregnant, lactating, growing, finishing).
- Environmental conditions can affect DMI.
- Intakes measured as a percentage of body weight: typically 1.8-2.7%.

Early lactation presents negative energy balance; energy spent on milk production can reach peak production by 50-70 days postpartum.
- Management practices:
- Offer fresh feed consistently, allow for leftovers (2-5%) to enhance grazing quality, and ensure multiple meals throughout the day for effective rumination.

Needed for stimulating rumination and saliva production, critical for maintaining rumen pH (5.8-6.4).
- Provides the scratch factor for papillae health.

Assessing rumen function involves monitoring particle size in manure and the percentage of cows ruminating.

Result of imbalanced carbohydrate diets (high in readily fermentable carbs) leading to a drop in rumen pH.
- Consequences include digestive disturbances, decreased intake, and increased health risks.

Balanced rations must provide necessary nutrients at optimal levels without overfeeding, focusing on cost-effective ingredients that meet animal needs.