How critical is it to use a dietary antibiotic in the starter phase?
Research conducted with various types of nursery conditions has almost universally demonstrated a 10 to 20% improvement in performance responses when antibiotics or antibacterial agents are used during the starter period. The magnitude of the gain and feed-conversion improvements largely depends upon the animal’s health status, the cleanliness, environmental, and management conditions within the nursery facility. The better the sanitation conditions, the smaller will be the performance differences. Selection of an appropriate antibiotic should be in consultation with university Extension specialists, technical service individuals associated with the feed industry, and/or your veterinarian. Q. Should zinc oxide and/or copper sulfate be used throughout the starter phase? High dietary levels of zinc oxide and/or copper sulfate have been found to enhance the growth rate of weaned pigs by approximately 15%. Concentrations up to 3,000 ppm zinc and/or 250 ppm copper have been found to result
