Pen Space and Antibiotic Effects on Performance of Growing-Finishing Pigs

The detrimental effects of crowding weaned pigs and the advantage of inclusion of an antibiotic in the diets fed from 4 weeks of age to 40 lb has been documented (SWINE 81-8) as a part of a North Central regional project by the Swine Confinement Management Committee. It is of interest to know if the same responses to crowding and presence of antibiotics can be observed with growing-finishing pigs. This study, also part of a regional study, was designed to evaluate the possible effect of antibiotics and pen space on growing-finishing pigs and the interaction of these two factors