INFLUENCE OF AN EXPERIMENTAL-INFECTION OF TRICHURIS-SUIS ON PERFORMANCE OF PIGS

Pigs (48) (average 25.7 kg live weight) were individually housed and fed to study the effect of a single infection of T. suis (either 0; 550, 1100, or 1650 T. suis eggs/kg body weight) on performance of growing-finishing pigs. Average daily gain of pigs given either 1100 or 1650 T. suis eggs per kg body weight was less (P < 0.05) than that of pigs not infected. Feed required per unit of weight gain was 33% greater for pigs given either 1100 or 1650 T. suis eggs/kg body weight than for pigs not infected, but this difference was not significantly greater due to extreme variation within both groups of infected pigs. In each of 2 trials, 8 crossbred barrows (average 21.9 kg body weight in trial 1 and 18.1 kg in trial 2) were used in a 2 .times. 2 factorial experiment to determine effects of T. suis at 2 levels of experimental infection (0 and 850 eggs/kg body weight) on digestion and absorption of nutrients and on N balance. Pigs in trial 1 had higher digestion coefficients for dry matter and N (P < 0.01) and a lower digestion coefficient for ether extract (P < 0.05) than pigs in trial 2. Pigs experimentally infected with T. suis had a higher digestion coefficient for ether extract (P < 0.05) and a lower digestion coefficient for crude fiber 0.01), nitrogen (P < 0.01) and N free extract (P < 0.05). T. suis infected pigs had a lower N intake (P < 0.05), excreted less N in the urine and had a lower N balance (P < 0.01) than pigs not infected.