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The work was funded by the Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research (C-FAR). The findings came from a three-part study by Gary Apgar of Southern Illinois University. Reports from several studies in the C-FAR initiative will be presented Dec. 11-12 at the University of Illinois Pork Industry Conference in Champaign. Those interested in attending or getting more information should contact Gilbert Hollis at (217) 333-0013, e-mail: [email protected].

Phosphorus, nitrogen and sulfur all play major roles in the problems of swine waste and odor management.

Apgar looked at adding phytase to swine diets containing wheat middlings, the removal of inorganic phosphorus from swine finishing diets, and the impact of dietary nitrogen and sulfur reduction on odor-causing components of swine manure.

He found that adding phytase to diets containing wheat middlings and no supplemental inorganic phosphorus resulted in performance equal to that with diets containing inorganic phosphorus.

Removing inorganic phosphorus from grow-finish diets reduced average daily gain and average daily feed intake but adding phytase maintained pig performance.

"Pig performance was not affected when diets with reduced nitrogen and sulfur were fed, provided amino acid level and balance is adequate, but concentrations of manure components implicated in swine odor were altered," he said.

Source: ACES News - 19th November 2003