EFFECT OF AGE OF CORN AND VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF GROWING-FINISHING SWINE
Research Progress Report 74
September 1963 Final
T. A. McDonald, R. A. Pickett, W. M. Beeson and W. H. Smith, Animal Sciences Department
SUMMARY
Growth of swine fed during the winter of 1962-63 was not affected by the age of corn or vitamin A supplementation.
The serum and liver vitamin A values for the groups receiving no vitamin A decreased at an increasing rate as the age of the corn increased.
The addition of 400 IU of vitamin A per pound of feed maintained serum vitamin A levels and provided vitamin A storage in the liver.
There appeared to be no effect on performance due to the difference in federal grades of the corn fed.
INTRODUCTION
In the summer of 1962, the value of aged corn for swine was studied (Research Progress Report 40). The results indicated that maximum growth was obtained when the rations were fortified with 400 IU of preformed vitamin A per pound regardless of the age of the corn fed. There was no difference in performance of swine due to the age of corn, however, there appeared to be a slight correlation of performance with federal grade.
In view of these data, the second experiment was designed to replicate the first experiment with the following objectives:
1.	To study the effect of age of corn on the performance of swine fed a corn-soybean ration.
2.	To study the effect of the age of corn on the vitamin A potency.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Sixty crossbred weanling pigs averaging 43 pounds were divided into 6 lots with 10 pigs per lot on the basis of weight, sex, litter and general appearance. Prior to starting the experiment, the pigs were on a creep feed which contained 4, 000 IU of supplemental vitamin A per pound. During the experiment the pigs were self-fed, on concrete lots, the corn-soybean rations illustrated in Table 1. The corn for the experiment was obtained from the Tippecanoe County Commodity Credit Corporation. The federal grades for the 1953, 1957 and 1961 corn were No. 1, No.3 and No. 1, respectively. The 1961 corn was one-year old at the time the experiment was conducted.
The treatments were as follows:
1 --1953 corn, 400 IU vitamin A per pound of ration.
2--1953 corn, no vitamin A added.
3-	-1957 corn, 400 IU vitamin A per pound of
ration.
4--1957 corn, no vitamin A added.
5 --1961 corn, 400 IU vitamin A per pound of ration.
6--1961 corn, no vitamin A added.
The initial, 100 pounds and final serum vitamin A values were determined. Also, final hemoglobin and packed cell volume were determined. At slaughter, liver samples were collected for vitamin A analysis. The pigs were weighed and feed consumption was determined biweekly.
An approximate chemical analysis of the corn was made to characterize its composition.
PURDUE UNIVERSITY • Agricultural Experiment Station • Lafayette, Indiana