PSXII-21 Evaluation of Varium® on growth performance and health of postweaning-finishing pigs.

Abstract Varium was developed as an alternative to antibiotic-growth-promoters, containing minerals, organic acids, and yeast to improve animal gut health. A total of 180 postweaning pigs aged 24 ± 2 days with an average weight 7 ± 0.5 kg were used in this experiment to evaluate the effect of Varium on postweaning pigs all the way to market weight. The experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design with 2 treatments in 6 replicate pens and 15 pigs in each pen. Each pen thus represents an experimental unit. Significance was set at P < 0.05 by student T contrast test. The treatments were: 1) Control and 2) Control with 0.1% dietary Varium. Pigs had ad libitum access to feed and water. The diet was corn and soybean meal based and formulated according to requirements or NRC. The feeding program from postweaning to market weight was separated into 7 phases (1:24-30day/7-9kg, 2:31-37day/9-12kg, 3:38-43day/12-15kg, 4:44-65day/15-30kg, 5:66-87day/30-50kg, 6:88-125day/50-85kg, 7:126-148day/85-108kg). Daily weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion, mortality, and diarrhea scores (pasty and liquid) were recorded in each phase. Body weights in the Varium group were numerically higher than that of the control group in every phase except phase 4 (P > 0.05). Average daily weight gain also showed no difference between these two groups (P > 0.05). Feed intake in the Varium group throughout all 7 phases were numerically lower than that of the control group. This resulted in better feed conversions in the Varium group than the control group, with significant differences found in phase 3 (1.3 vs. 1.5, P < 0.05) and phase 6 (2.3 vs. 2.1, P < 0.05). The average mortality rate in the first 4 phases for the Varium group has dropped from 1.36 to 1.17% and the last 3 phases also dropped from 2.21 to 0.86% numerically. The overall accumulated mortality declined from 1.79 to 1.02 numerically when Varium was added (P > 0.05). Total live weight between was not different (P >0.05) but higher in Varium than the control group (8229.6 vs. 7577.2). Both pasty diarrhea (8 to 4%) and liquid diarrhea (2 to 1%) declined in Varium group but not significant (P >0.05). In conclusion, adding Varium at 0.1% to a diet showed a positive effect on weight gain, feed conversion, mortality and diarrhea compared to the control.