PSVI-10 - Effect of sulfate or hydroxychloride forms of zinc, manganese, and copper on growth performance, weight variation, and carcass characteristics of grow-finish pigs

Abstract: A total of 1,026 grow-finish pigs (337 × 1050, PIC; initially 26.0 ± 0.33 kg) were used in a 124-d trial to compare sulfate and hydrochloride forms of Zn, Mn, and Cu on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and weight variation, of grow-finish pigs. Pigs were housed in mixed gender pens with 27 pigs per pen and 19 pens per treatment. The treatments were structured as a completely randomized design and consisted of a control diet containing 150, 16, and 110 mg/kg of Cu, Mn, and Zn, respectively, from sulfate sources or provided by hydroxychloride sources. Experimental diets were corn-soybean meal-corn-dried distiller grains with solubles based and fed in meal form in phase 1 from 26 to 50 kg, phase 2 from 50 to 75 kg, phase 3 from 75 to 100 kg, and phase 4 from 100 to 136 kg. In the grower period (26 to 78 kg), pigs fed sulfate sources of Mn, Zn, and Cu had improved (P = 0.05) G:F compared to pigs fed hydroxychloride forms. In the finisher period (78 to 136 kg), pigs fed hydroxychloride mineral sources had improved (P = 0.041) ADG compared with pigs fed sulfate sources. For pig body weight variability, there was no evidence of differences (P > 0.10) in the coefficient of variation between treatments. Pigs fed hydroxychloride mineral sources tended to have greater hot carcass weight (HCW; P = 0.054) when marketed at the end of the study compared to pigs fed sulfate sources, but no evidence for differences (P > 0.10) were found in the first marketing and overall HCW or any other carcass trait at either marketing event. In conclusion, these data suggest there were no differences in overall pig growth performance or BW variability, but pigs fed hydroxychloride sources of Zn, Mn, and Cu tended to have heavier HCW at the final marketing event.