Abstract

A 35-d growth assay was conducted to determine the effect of added dietary B-vitamins on growth performance of nursery pigs (12.9 lb initial BW). The basal diet (Phase I, 1.5% lysine; Phase II, 1.3% lysine) was formulated to contain no added Bvitamins. The other treatment diets were formed by adding a B-vitamin premix (biotin, folacin, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, B6, and B12) to the basal diet with the vitamins added at 1, 2, or 4 times NRC (1998) recommendations. In phase I (d 0 to 14) and for the overall trial, pigs fed increasing Bvitamins had increased (linear, P0.09) on growth performance in phase II (d 14 to 35). These results suggest that B-vitamin supplementation is necessary to maximize growth performance of earlyweaned pigs; however, typical margins of safety for B-vitamins can be lowered without affecting growth performance.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 14, 2002

Keywords: Swine day, 2002, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station contribution, no. 03-120-S, Report of progress (Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service), 897, B-vitamins, Growth performance, Nurstery pigs, Swine

How to Cite:

James, B. W., Nelssen, J. L., Goodband, R. D., Tokach, M. D. & Dritz, S. S., (2002) “Effect of B-vitamin supplementation on nursery pig growth performance”, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports 1(10), 70-73. doi: https://doi.org/10.4148/2378-5977.6765