Title | Dietary self-selection for organic acids by the piglet. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2004 |
Authors | Ettle, T. [1], Mentschel K. [2], & Roth F. X. [3] |
Journal | Archives of animal nutrition |
Volume | 58 |
Issue | 5 |
Pagination | 379-88 |
Date Published | 2004 Oct |
Keywords | Animal Feed [4], Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena [5], Animals [6], Dose-Response Relationship, Drug [7], Eating [8], Female [9], Food Preferences [10], Formates [11], Hydrogen-Ion Concentration [12], Male [13], Random Allocation [14], Sorbic Acid [15], Swine [16], Weight Gain [17] |
Abstract | Two feeding trials using 48 weaned crossbred piglets each were carried out to determine the effect of acidifying diets with potassium diformate (K-diformate), formic or sorbic acid on dietary preferences in piglets. In Exp. 1 two reference groups were fed either an unacidified diet or a diet containing 2.4% of K-diformate with no choice for selection. Furthermore, piglets in choice group 1 and 2 had the choice between an unacidified diet and a diet supplemented with 1.2 and 2.4% K-diformate, respectively. In Exp. 2, animals of three reference groups received exclusively an unacidified diet or diets supplemented with 1.2% formic acid or 1.2% sorbic acid, respectively. The animals of the choice groups had the choice between an unacidified diet and diets with 1.2% formic acid or 1.2% sorbic acid, respectively. In Exp. 1 average daily feed intake, daily gain and feed conversion ratio were 751 g, 458 g and 1.64 kg/kg, respectively, with no significant differences between treatments. In both choice feeding groups animals chose the diets on offer at random (each around 50%). In Exp. 2 growth and feed intake were not affected by the treatment, but feed conversion ratio was enhanced due to the 1.2% formic acid supplementation. Animals of both organic acid choice groups showed a significant preference for the unacidified diets in each experimental week. The formic acid and sorbic acid diets represented on average only 13.5% and 23.5% of the total feed intake. The present results demonstrate that the inclusion of 1.2% sorbic or formic acid or 2.4% of K-diformate in piglet diets has no negative impact on feed intake, but in a situation of choice feeding, piglets will refuse diets acidified with 1.2% formic or sorbic acid, presumably because of negative taste cues. Acidifying the diets with varying amounts of a K-diformate had no effect on dietary preferences of piglets. |
Alternate Journal | Arch Anim Nutr |
Links:
[1] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/author/234
[2] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/author/445
[3] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/author/232
[4] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/keyword/30
[5] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/keyword/149
[6] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/keyword/1
[7] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/keyword/209
[8] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/keyword/153
[9] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/keyword/162
[10] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/keyword/8
[11] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/keyword/540
[12] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/keyword/203
[13] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/keyword/155
[14] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/keyword/147
[15] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/keyword/541
[16] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/keyword/32
[17] http://www.hisynergi.com/en/literature/keyword/159