Effect of Oxidized β-Carotene on Swine Growth Performance under Commercial Production Conditions in Vietnam

SIMPLE SUMMARY: It is important to find suitable non-antibiotic alternatives for livestock production. The effects of oxidized β-carotene (OxBC) versus antibiotic growth promoters upon the growth performance of swine were determined through a full 140-day growth cycle in 500 barrows and gilts under commercial production conditions in Vietnam. There were five dietary treatment groups: Control basal diet with no antibiotics or OxBC; Basal diet with antibiotics and no OxBC; Basal diet supplemented with 2, 4, or 8 mg OxBC/kg diet and no antibiotics. OxBC and antibiotics each improved growth rate, feed efficiency, and body weight compared to the unsupplemented control. However, animals receiving 4 and 8 mg/kg OxBC performed better than animals on antibiotics. In Starter pigs (Days 1–28), OxBC reduced the occurrence of diarrhea dose-dependently (2, 4, and 8 mg/kg) and more so than antibiotics. These findings show that oxidized β-carotene can facilitate swine growth and health in the absence of in-feed antibiotics. ABSTRACT: The effects of oxidized β-carotene (OxBC) were determined upon the growth performance of swine through their full growth cycle under commercial production conditions in Vietnam. Five hundred 28-day-old-weaned barrows and gilts were used in a 140-day complete wean-to-finish feeding trial. Animals were randomized by weight, and each pen contained 20 pigs with the same ratio of barrows to gilts. There were five dietary treatment groups with five replicate pens per treatment: Control basal diet, no antibiotics or OxBC; Basal diet with antibiotics; no OxBC; Basal diet supplemented with 2, 4, or 8 mg OxBC/kg of diet, no antibiotics. Growth performance parameters were calculated for each production stage (Starter: Days 1–28, Grower: Days 29–84, Finisher: Days 85–140) and for the overall study (Days 1–140). OxBC and antibiotics each improved growth rate, feed efficiency, and body weight compared to the unsupplemented control (p < 0.001). Animals receiving 4 and 8 mg/kg OxBC performed better than animals on antibiotics (p < 0.001). In Starter pigs, OxBC reduced the occurrence of diarrhea dose-dependently (2, 4, and 8 mg/kg) and more so than did antibiotics (p < 0.001). These findings support the concept that oxidized β-carotene can facilitate swine growth and health in the absence of in-feed antibiotics.