Effects of Adding Sodium Bisulfate to Weanling and Finishing Pig Diets on Growth Performance, Nutrient Excretion, and Slurry Characteristics

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to determine growth performance of weanling pigs fed sodium bisulfate (NaHSOsub4), as a potential acidifier. Pigs were stratified by sex, weight and ancestry and assigned to one of four diets containing 0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8% inclusion of NaHSOsub4. NaHSOsub4 was added at the expense of sodium chloride. Pigs and feeders were weighed weekly to determine growth performance. In Exp. 1, 200 pigs were allotted to one of four dietary treatments for Phases 2 - 4. Overall in Exp. 1, there was no difference in ADFI; however, ADG and G:F improved as NaHSOsub4 levels increased in the diet. In Exp. 2, 240 pigs were allotted at weaning to the four dietary treatments fed in all four phases. Overall, in Exp. 2, increasing inclusion of NaHSOsub4 tended to improve ADG. When combining results from both experiments for Phases 2 - 4, ADG (tendency) and G:F improved for pigs fed NaHSOsub4. These results suggest that feeding NaHSOsub4 at 0.4 or 0.8% inclusion may improve growth performance in weanling pigs. NaHSOsub4 is a strong acid that has been used in the poultry industry as a litter additive to reduce pH and ammonia emissions. Little is known about the effects of NaHSOsub4 in swine slurry when administered as a feed additive. 80 crossbred pigs were used to determine the effects of NaHSOsub4 addition to the diet on growth performance and slurry characteristics during a 100-d finishing period. Pigs were allotted by BW, sex, and ancestry to one of two treatments. The control was a fortified corn-soybean meal diet. The treatment diet was the control diet + 0.30% NaHSOsub4. Feed intake, pig weight, pit volume, pH and EC were measured weekly. Feed and slurry samples were collected and analyzed for DM, N, and P. No difference in ADG, ADFI, G:F, pit pH or daily DM, N, P, Na or NH4-N excretion was observed. However, EC of the slurry as well as sulfur excretion tended to increase for pigs fed NaHSOsub4. These results suggest that dietary addition of NaHSOsub4 does not affect growth performance or slurry characteristics of finishing pigs.