Nemechek, Kaylea N.Shawk, Dwight J.Goodband, Robert D.Woodworth, Jason C.Tokach, Michael D.Dritz, Steven S.DeRouchey, Joel M.Clark, Anne B.2019-07-312019-07-312016-12-12http://hdl.handle.net/2097/39987A total of 300 pigs (241 × 600; DNA, Columbus, NE; initially 15.5 lb BW) were used in a 21-d study to analyze the effects of increasing chloride concentrations on nursery pig growth performance. The current NRC recommendation for dietary chloride for 15 to 25 lb nursery pigs is 0.45% Cl. Pigs were weaned at 21 d of age and randomly allotted to nursery pens based on initial BW. After 7 d on a common starter diet, each pen was assigned to 1 of 6 dietary treatments. There were 5 dietary treatments increasing in added dietary chloride concentrations of 0.26, 0.38, 0.49, 0.61, or 0.72%. These diets did not contain salt, but utilized potassium chloride to increase Cl concentration, with the use of sodium bicarbonate to provide 0.35% dietary sodium in all diets. A control diet supplemented with 15.5 lb/ton added salt was formulated with a dietary Na concentration of 0.35% and Cl concentration of 0.72%. There were 5 pigs/pen and 10 replications/treatment. From d 0 to 14, F/G (1.60, 1.41, 1.37, 1.36, and 1.42, respectively) improved (quadratic, P=0.001) up to 0.61% Cl. ADG (0.60, 0.77, 0.82, 0.77, and 0.78 lb/d, respectively) and ADFI (0.96, 1.07, 1.12, 1.05 and 1.1 lb/d, respectively) increased (quadratic, P=0.023) up to 0.49% Cl. Pigs fed the control diet had decreased (P < 0.05) F/G compared to pigs fed the 0.72% Cl diet (1.33 vs. 1.42) with no evidence for differences in ADG or ADFI. Overall there was no evidence of differences in ADG or ADFI when comparing pigs fed the 0.72% Cl diet and the control diet, however pigs fed the control diet had improved F/G indicating the source of the ions may influence F/G. In conclusion, growth and feed intake can be improved by feeding a dietary Cl of at least 0.49% while F/G was optimized at 0.61% for 15 to 25 lb nursery pigs.en-USThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).Fall 2016Text