PSII-9 Effect of avilamycin on nursery pig performance and health

Abstract Four hundred (PIC 337 X Camborough, PIC, Hendersonville, TN) and 800 (PIC 359 X C29) barrows and gilts were used to determine the impact of avilamycin (Kavault®, Elanco, Greenfield, IN) on nursery pig performance. Upon weaning, the lightest 10% of pigs were sorted off to form one replication and the remaining pigs were sorted by sex and placed into blocks with 25 pigs/pen. Six of the 48 pens were assigned to a non-feed grade medication control treatment. Remaining blocks were assigned to 1 of 3 treatments (50 g Mecadox/ton, 73 g Kavault/ton d0 to d21, 73 g Kavault/ton d0 to d42). Diets were formulated to meet or exceed NRC (2012) recommendations. Pen weights and feed intake information were collected for calculation of ADG, ADFI, and F:G. Pigs were vaccinated against porcine circovirus, Mycoplasma hyopnuemoniae, Salmonella, and Lawsonia. Diagnostic samples showed presence of E. coli and Salmonella. Pigs were PRRSv and PEDv negative. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design using the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS with pen as experimental unit and treatment as a fixed effect. LSMeans were considered significant at P ≤ 0.05 and considered a trend at P > 0.05 and P ≤ 0.10. Final body weight (d42) was not significantly different (P = 0.26), but there were numerical improvements in body weight for all medication treatments compared to the control (0.68, 0.68, and 1.5 kg for Mecadox, Kavault 21 d and Kavault 42 d respectively). Overall ADG (0.46, 0.45, 0.48, 0.45 kg, respectively) was greatest and F:G was lowest for the Kavault 42d treatment, although differences were not always significant (P > 0.05). Feeding medications numerically lowered the percentage of injectable medication intervention compared to controls (110.8, 12.7, 137.2, and 156.0%, respectively). Avilamycin appears to be an effective medication option for pigs in 42 d nursery programs but the anticipated response may differ depending on feeding duration.