Effects of dietary flavor in experimental and commercial nursery diets on growth performance of weaned pigs

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to investigate effects of dietary flavor as a feed additive on growth performance of weaned pigs. The flavor used in experiments was a commercial product (Luctarom®, Lucta Guangzhou, China) containing milky cream flavor. In Exp. 1, 72 weaned pigs (initial BW = 6.51 ± 0.21 kg) were randomly assigned to 2 dietary treatments (4 pigs/pen; 9 replicates/treatment): an experimental diet based on corn and soybean meal (CON1) and CON1 supplemented with 0.05% flavor (FLA). In Exp. 2, 72 weaned pigs (initial BW = 6.66 ± 0.32 kg) were randomly assigned to 2 dietary treatments (4 pigs/pen; 9 replicates/treatment): a commercial diet based on corn and soybean meal with spray dried plasma, fish meal, and zinc oxide (CON2) and CON2 supplemented with FLA. Pigs were fed respective dietary treatment for 6 weeks. Growth performance was measured on day 1, 7, 14, 21, and 42 after weaning. Data were analyzed using the PROC GLM procedure of SAS. The statistical model for every measurement included dietary effect and BW as a covariate in a randomized complete block design (block = BW). In Exp. 1, pigs fed FLA tended to increase ADG (0.493 vs. 0.451 kg/d; P < 0.10) during the experimental period compared with those fed CON1. However, there were no differences in ADFI and G:F between CON1 and FLA. In Exp. 2, pigs fed FLA had greater ADG (0.548 vs. 0.463 kg/d; P < 0.05) and tended to increase ADFI (0.870 vs. 0.753 kg/d; P < 0.10) during the experimental period than those fed CON2. However, there was no difference in G:F between CON2 and FLA. In conclusion, the addition of dietary flavor in experimental and commercial nursery diets improved growth performance of weaned pigs.