Development of a Model to Predict the Growth of Pigs When Increasing Dietary Levels of Paylean are Fed

Purdue University 2002 Swine Research Report. Most previous trials have evaluated the response of Paylean (ractopamine) when constant levels were fed for the last 90 lb of live weight gain. Recently, three trials have been conducted to compare the response to Paylean fed at increasing levels to a similar constant level throughout late-finishing. These trials indicated that the magnitude and duration of the Paylean response could be enhanced by using a step-up program. The objectives of this research were 1) to model the Paylean response in terms of variables related to underlying biological changes; and 2) to use the model to predict performance and essential amino acid requirements for subsequent economic analyses.