Prairie Swine Centre, Inc.

At present, substantial amounts of low-cost, fibrous co-products are incorporated into pig diets to reduce the cost of raising swine. However, diets that are rich in fiber are of low nutritive value because pigs cannot degrade dietary fiber. In addition, high-fiber diets have been associated with reduced nutrient utilization and pig performance. However, recent reports are often contradictory and the neg. effects of high-fiber diets are influenced by the fiber source, type, and inclusion level. In addition, the effects of dietary fiber on pig growth and physiol. responses are often confounded by the many anal. methods that are used to measure dietary fiber and its components. Several strategies have been employed to ameliorate the neg. effects associated with the ingestion of high-fiber diets in pigs and to improve the nutritive value of such diets. Exogenous fiber-degrading enzymes are widely used to improve nutrient utilization and pig performance. However, the results of research reports have not been consistent and there is a need to elucidate the mode of action of exogenous enzymes on the metabolic and physiol. responses in pigs that are fed high-fiber diets. On the other hand, dietary fiber is increasingly used as a means of promoting pig gut health and gestating sow welfare. In this review, dietary fiber and its effects on pig nutrition, gut physiol., and sow welfare are discussed. In addition, areas that need further research are suggested to gain more insight into dietary fiber and into the use of exogenous enzymes to improve the utilization of high-fiber diets by pigs.

The effectiveness of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles as filtering media for controlling the levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), ammonia (NH3), and odor in swine facilities was evaluated in this study. Semi-pilot scale tests were done to determine basic operational factors, the results of which showed that the fluidized bed air filtration system (FBAFS), loaded with ZnO nanoparticles at a rate of 0.28 g cm-2 of filter area, and a gas flow rate equivalent to 0.5 m s-1 face velocity achieved significant reduction in target gas levels. The performance of this filter system was further investigated in a room-scale environmental chamber representative of normal swine production conditions. When installed as part of the ventilation air recirculation system of the room, the FBAFS with ZnO nanoparticles achieved about 65% H2S and 42% NH3 reductions in the human-occupied zones but had no significant impact on pig performance as well as odor levels in the chamber.

Oral sucrose was evaluated for its ability to reduce pain following castration. Piglets (n = 126) were assigned to one of the five treatments: (1) castrated and given 3 mL of water (C); (2) castrated with 3 mL of 30% sucrose before castration (SucB); (3) castrated and given 3 mL of 30% sucrose after castration (SucA); (4) sham castrated and given 3 mL of water (SHAM); (5) sham castrated and given 3 mL of 30% sucrose SucSHAM. Piglet navigation time (NT) through a handling chute was tested at 0, 15, 30, and 45 min after treatment as a measure of pain. Serum cortisol and pen behaviors were also recorded. At 0, 15, and 30 min, C piglets had a greater NT than SHAM and SucSHAM piglets (P < 0.05). The NT of SucA piglets was similar to SHAM and SucSHAM, and shorter than C at 15, 30, and 45 min. The NT of SucB piglets was similar to SHAM and SucSHAM at 30 and 45 min, and shorter than C at 15 and 45 min. Handling chute behavior suggests that sucrose provides some degree of pain relief following castration: sucrose given before castration showing more consistent results than when given after.