Evaluation of Organic and Inorganic Acids in Various Feeding Programs as Alternatives to Antibiotic Growth Promoters for Nursery Pigs

Purdue University 2003 Swine Research Report. During the past 50 years, nursery pig diets have been fortified with various antibiotics in prophylactic doses against gastrointestinal disorders and to obtain the economic benefits in terms of improved growth rates (4 to 15%) and feed efficiency (2 to 6%; Mroz, 2003). However, in recent years there has been growing public concern about the use of antibiotics in animal agriculture and the risk of developing cross-resistance of pathogens to antibiotics used in human therapy. This has prompted the swine industry to seek out alternatives to antibiotics that will give similar pig performance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of organic and inorganic acids in various feeding programs as alternatives to a growth promotion antibiotic in nursery pig diets.