Evaluation of a biological response modifier: effects on starter pig performance

The influence of a biological response modifier (FK-565) on weanling pig performance was evaluated. One hundred twenty-five weanling pigs (weaned at 21 +/- 3 d) averaging 6.3 kg were utilized in a 35-d growth trial. Dietary treatments included a basal diet (1.25% lysine, corn-soybean meal-dried whey), the basal plus .1, 1 or 10 ppm FK-565 and the control plus an antibacterial combination containing chlortetracycline, sulfamethazine and penicillin. Performance was recorded weekly, and on d 35 all pigs were bled for whole blood and serum chemistry profiles and then were euthanatized. Heart, liver, kidneys and spleen weights were recorded. Also, gross and histological examinations were made of these organs, as well as sections of lung, ileum, bone marrow, thymus and mesenteric lymph node. By d 14, pigs fed the antibacterial diet gained faster (P less than .06) than pigs fed the control and FK-565 diets. However, no differences (P less than .10) in feed intake at d 14 or efficiency of feed utilization at either d 14 or 35 were observed. For the overall 35-d trial, ADG was greater (P less than .01) for pigs consuming the antibacterial diet than for pigs consuming control and the FK-565 diets. Pigs consumed more of the antibacterial diet than of the other diets (P less than .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)