The effect of feeding Ambitine™ Feed Additive on late finishing pig performance

Four hundred and sixty-six late finishing pigs (initial BW = 106.49 kg) were used to evaluate the effect of feeding Ambitine™ Feed Additive (Ambitine™ FA) on late finishing performance. Ambitine™ FA is a blend of plant extracts and acidifiers. Pigs were allotted in a randomized complete block design into mixed gender pens, with 11 replicates per treatment, 21 pigs per pen, and fed 1 of 2 dietary treatments. Dietary treatments were Control (corn-soybean meal-20% DDGS with 6.75g of Paylean® formulated to 0.95% TID lysine) or Control plus Ambitine™ FA (0.10%) fed the last 34 days of the finishing period. Body weights were taken at day 0, 8, 20, and 34 with corresponding ADG, ADFI, and GF calculated for each period. Data were analyzed using the Mixed procedure in SAS with pen as the experimental unit. Period 1 (d 0-8) ADG tended to increase (P = 0.09; 1.32 vs 1.25, kg/d) and G:F increased (P = 0.02; 0.408 vs 0.375) with Ambitine™ FA treatment. Period 1, ADFI was not significantly different between treatments. Period 1 BW tended (P = 0.09) to increase for the Ambitine™ FA treatment (117.07 vs 116.46 kg). Period 2 (d 8-20) ADFI increased (P = 0.05; 2.99 vs 2.93 kg/d) with Ambitine™ FA treatment, and ADG and G:F were not significantly different between treatments. Period 3 (d 20-34) growth performance was not significantly different between treatments. Ambitine™ FA increased (P = 0.03) overall (d 0 to 34) ADG (1.27 vs 1.21, kg/d) and G:F ratio (0.402 vs 0.382). Plant Live weight tended (P = 0.09) to increase for the Ambitine™ FA treatment (131.96 vs 128.85, kg). Total gain was increased (P = 0.002) with the Ambitine™ FA treatment (26.57 vs 24.44 kg). The results of this study suggest that feeding Ambitine™ FA improves growth rate and feed efficiency in finishing pigs.