At this time,
the acclimation period began by offering the pigs the basal ration consisting of 16เปอร์เซ็นโปรตีน medicated pellets was administered until the groups attained an average pen weight of 68 kg.
This ration served as the base ration fed to the control treatment (0 ppm RAC).
Feeders were cleaned out thoroughly prior to administering the individual treatment feeds. Beginning at 68 (± 0.77) kg, pigs were administered one of the three dietary treatments: the six pens in group #1 continued to receive a ration of 16% CP medicated pellets (0 ppm RAC;control). The six pens in group #2 were fed a ration of 16% CP medicated pellets with the inclusion of 5 ppm of RAC (5ppm RAC). The six pens in group #3 were fed a ration of 16% CP medicated pellets with the inclusion of 10 ppm of RAC (10ppm RAC). Groups were assigned to allow for uniform initial pen weight. All pigs were harvested when the average weight for the total group of pens reached 92 (± 1.33) kg in an average of 25 days. After all pigs were removed from the feeding pens, remaining feed was collected and weighed to adjust feed intake for feed:gain ratio calculations. All pigs were weighed immediately prior to loading at the Tarleton Swine Center and weighed immediately after unloading at the harvest location in order to measure drift weight. Travel time and distance to the harvest site was one hour and forty-five minutes and 167.4 kilometers, respectively. Animals were harvested in accordance with the packing plant’s slaughter protocol and in compliance with the Humane Slaughter Act standards for humane slaughter.