Determination of the most economical nursery feeding regimen for pigs fed from weaning to market weight

Feed consumption and gain were measured to examine the performance of pigs fed either a simple diet sequence in the nursery phase (control group) or a complex diet sequence in the nursery phase (treatment group). Pigs weaned at 18 ± 2 days were randomly assigned by weight to nursery pens. The simple diet sequence consisted of two diets. The simple diet sequence consisted of diets containing mostly soybean meal and corn, the first diet contained dried whey. The complex diet sequence consisted of three diets. The first diet had spray-dried porcine plasma, lactose, and dried whey. The second and third diets were the diets used for the control group. The treatment group had higher average daily gains (ADG) during the first two weeks of the nursery phase (P<.0l). There was no overall significant difference in the nursery, grower, or finisher phase for ADG. Feed efficiency was significantly better in the nursery phase for pigs in the treatment group (P<.0l). There was no significant difference in feed efficiency between the control group and the treatment group in the grower phase. The control group tended to have better feed efficiency in the finishing phase (P=.28). There was no significant difference in feed intake between the treatment and control group in the nursery, grower, or finisher phase, although feed intake tended to be higher in the control group in the grower phase (P=.18). Backfat was significantly higher in the treatment group at termination of the test (P=.03). The average cost to feed a pig in either group on an ingredient basis was the same. On a commercial basis it costs more to feed the pigs in the treatment group. Mortality was higher in the control group. Pigs do better when fed a complex diet sequence in the nursery phase because mortality is lower. It is economical to feed pigs a complex diet sequence in the nursery phase