Support late-finishing gut health for improved performance

Posted on April 5, 2022 in Swine Performance
 

The late-finishing period can be a time of increased stress on the pig.  Increased feeder competition and crowding may result in suboptimal performance just before the animal is marketed.  Research shows us that supporting gut health during this time can boost performance and profits.

Vita Plus Forti-Fin supports gut health via a combination of plant extracts and organic acids.  Forti-Fin may be used with or without other finishing growth promoters.

How does Forti-Fin work?  Plant extracts and organic acids have a synergistic effect in benefiting the late-finishing pig’s gut.

  • Plant extracts have been reported to have positive benefits via several modes of action, including natural antibacterial and anti-bacteriostatic effects, improved nutrient digestion, and reduced intestinal ammonia levels.  A summary of 23 trials where plant extract was included in the diets showed 3.6% improvement in bodyweight gain and 3.3% improvement in feed efficiency.
  • Organic acids in swine diets have long been reported to positively impact growth performance.  Suggested modes of action include decreased pH of the diet and stomach, positive changes in microbial populations in the digestive tract, and improved nutrient digestion.  A summary of five trials in which an organic acid blend and plant extract were included in the diets showed a 5.5% increase in average daily gain and 2.9% improvement in feed efficiency.

Furthermore, an on-farm trial showed that including Forti-Fin in the late-finishing diet improved margin over feed and yardage at a fixed live weight by $1.63.

Contact your Vita Plus swine nutritionist to learn more about Forti-Fin.

Category: Animal health
Feed ingredients
Swine Performance