Nutrition Notes

Supplemental Nutrivantage® In Grow-Finish Pigs

Developing products that can help pork producers raise healthier pigs to feed a growing population is an ongoing effort at the Kent

Nutrition Group Product Development Center. NutriVantage® Nutrition Optimizer® for swine is a research-driven feed supplement

designed to help animals achieve optimum nutrition from their diet. Our exclusive NutriVantage formula is made with nutritional

components that consist of a blend of organic macromolecules, trace minerals, antioxidants, and chelating agents. In the following

trial, we evaluated NutriVantage at three levels (1.5, 3, and 4.5 lb/ton of complete feed at an added cost of $1.30, $2.60 and $3.15/ton,

respectively by substituting NutriVantage for corn) in growing-finishing pigs. We utilized 1,896 pigs involving 24 replications per group.

We used a five-phase program with 400 lb/ton of Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles in each diet. The overall performance data are

shown below:

Effect Of Nutrivantage On Overall Performance, Carcass Traits, Economics in Grow-Finish Pigs
Groups	1	2	3	4
NutriVantage, lb/ton	-	1.5	3	4.5
Number of Pigs	474	474	474	474
Number of Pens	2.726	2.671	24	24
Final Weight*, lb	249.4	248.9	253.7	250.5
Days 0-112
ADGc , lb	1.823	1.819	1.862	1.833
ADFc , lb	4.761	4.724	4.830	4.738
F/Ga	2.610	2.597	2.592	2.583
Cost/lb Gainb , ¢	21.00	21.04	21.12	21.19
Net Return, $/Pig
@$50/cwt live price	59.19	58.92	60.07	58.90
@$55/cwt live pricec	69.40	69.10	70.50	69.16
@$60/cwt live pricec	79.61	79.29	80.93	79.42
@$65/cwt live pricec	89.82	89.47	91.35	89.68
@$70/cwt live pricec	100.03	99.65	101.78	99.94
@$75/cwt live pricec	110.24	109.84	112.21	110.20
Carcass
Percent Leanb	57.18	57.24	57.29	57.33
Dressing Percent	75.43	75.33	74.85	75.23
Grade Premium, $/cwt	5.47	5.34	5.64	5.48
aNV linear (P < .05); bNV Linear (P ≤ .09); cNV Cubic (P ≤ .10) *Initial Weight/Group = 45.2 lb

DISCUSSION

We observed a response in gain and feed intake when pigs were fed diets with supplemental NutriVantage at 3 lb/ton of complete feed.

In fact, the hogs were 4.3 lb heavier at market weight when the diets contained supplemental NutriVantage at 3 lb/ton compared

to those without. While the optimum level for growth and feed intake was 3 lb/ton, we did see that as the level of NutriVantage was

increased, the improvement in feed efficiency continued, which helped to keep the cost/lb of gain just slightly higher than the pigs on

Group 1 without the NutriVantage. The improvements in gain with NutriVantage fed at 3 lb/ton resulted in very favorable advantages

an as the level of NutriVantage was increased.

SUMMARY

Supplemental NutriVantage for swine (Product # 8101) at 3 lb/ton of complete feed resulted in faster growth rates along with

improvements of $1.10/hog marketed (using a live price of $55/cwt).