101 Evaluation of Vitamin D on Performance and Bone Mineral Density in Finishing Pigs. (12th April 2022) - Smith, Leah
Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the vitamin D3 (vitD) and 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OHD) requirements for finisher pig performance and bone density. Seventy-two pigs (62 ± 11.1 kg BW) were allotted to 36 pens (n = 2 pigs/pen) and across 4 dietary treatments (n = 9 pens/trt) for 51 d. Corn-soybean meal mash diet treatments were: 1) Diet containing 75 IU/kg vitD; 2) Diet containing 150 IU/kg vitD (NRC requirement); 3) Diet containing 750 IU/kg vitD; and 4) As 1 plus 0.0125% 25-OHD to achieve total diet equivalent of 750 IU/kg vitD. Pigs were weighed and feed disappearance recorded at the start and end of the study to calculate ADG, ADFI and G:F. Serum 25-OHD concentrations were determined on d 42. On d 51, one pig per pen was euthanized and bone mineral density determined on the rib, tibia and fibula. Data were analyzed as a complete randomized design with pen as the experimental unit. Overall, ADG did not differ between treatments 1 through 4 (1.26, 1.31, 1.34, 1.27 kg/d, respectively ( P > 0.05). Further, ADFI did not differ between treatments (P > 0.05). However, G:F tended to increase as dietary vitD concentrations increased (0.34, 0.36, 0.37 and 0.35, respectively, P = 0.068). Rib, fibula and tibia bone mineral density did not differ between treatments ( P > 0.05). Serum 25-OHD concentrations were 9.9, 11.9, 23.3 and 36.6 ng/mL for treatments 1-4, respectively ( P < 0.001). In conclusion, vitamin D3 deficiency was not achieved with treatment 1 in finishing and all treatments had equal pig performance and bone mineral density. Further, 0.0125% 25-OHD provided equal performance and bone density to 750 IU/kg of vitamin D3 .