Effect of space allowance and tylosin feeding on performance of growing-finishing pigs. NCR-89 Committee on Confinement Management of Swine.

The relationship between space allowance and tylosin feeding of growing-finishing pigs was investigated at nine experiment stations in the North Central Region. The experiment involved 1,352 pigs in 23 replications of treatments. Pigs allowed .46 m2 from 25 to 57 kg body weight and .74 m2 from 57 to 96 kg grew faster in the grower (P less than .001), finisher (P less than .05) and grower-finisher (P less than .001) periods than did pigs allowed .32 m2 and .56 m2 for the two weight periods, respectively. Feed efficiency was improved (P less than .005) by the more liberal space allowance in the grower, but not in the finisher period. Tylosin at 44 mg/kg changed to 22 mg/kg at 57 kg body weight caused an increase (P = .07) in rate of gain for the overall grower-finisher period and an improvement in feed efficiency in the grower (P = .07) and the grower-finisher (P less than .05) periods. In no instance was there an interaction between space allowance and tylosin feeding. Station effects were significant for all performance estimates, but there were no interactions between station and space-tylosin treatments. The results of the experiment indicate that crowding depressed performance of growing-finishing pigs, that tylosin feeding slightly improved performance and that the space allowance and the tylosin growth responses were independent.