Ractopamine, Response,Economics, and Issues

Allan P. SchinckelPurdue University

Department of Animal Sciences

Paylean™ - Ractopamine

• Feed additive;

• Feed 150 to 240 lbs. live weight (last 90 lbs. live weight gain);

• Feed at 4.5 to 18 grams/ton (5-20 ppm)

Paylean™ - Ractopamine

• Small compound;

• Partitions energy from fat growth to lean growth;

• Increases protein accretion and muscle growth;

• Increases muscle fiber diameter.

What is Ractopamine?

agonist;

• not a hormone;

• not a steroid;

• not “biotechnology.”

Impact of ractopamine level on average daily gain of SEW gilts.

Impact of ractopamine on fat-free lean gain (g/d) on SEW gilts.

Impact of ractopamine on protein accretion.

Impact of ractopamine on lipid accretion (g/d).

Impact of ractopamine level on feed conversion for SEW gilts.

Value of 9 g/ton Ractopamine for the last 90 lbs. before market.

Growth 4.1 less days $.15/day .62

Feed Cost:337 lbs. of .6% lysine $.0503/lb. 16.95289 lbs. of .78% lysine $.0539/lb. 15.5848 lbs. 1.37

Dressing percentage 1.1% at 250 lbs. live weight2.75 lb at $.60/lb. 1.65

Total $3.64

Ractopamine fed at 9.0 g/ton for the last 90 lbs. of live weight gain increases % dissected lean from 51.8 to 57.5%;

• 10.45 lbs. more dissected lean.

How much will pork processor payment systems pay for an

extra 10.45 lbs. of lean?

Depends . . .

• on accuracy of the equation and measurements used in the equation development;

• the accuracy of the measurements in the pork processing plants;

and. . .

• technologies used to predict lean mass;

• Ractopamine causes a change in muscle distribution and increases lean in the ham, belly and shoulder.

Based on lean cut out-boneless loins and dissected ham lean. . .

• Each lb. of lean has a value of 1.00/lb (Ackridge et al., 1991);

• Based on lean cut out values . . . 18 g/ton (20 ppm) fed the last 90 lbs. will increase carcass value by approximately $10.45 per head.;

% RAC Fat-free LeanCarcass Measurements Response detected

Midline last rib backfat, CW 15.2

Optical probe, CW 52.4

Tenth rib fat depth, loin eye area, CW 49.5

TOBEC, CW 74.1

Dissected ham lean, CW 95.4

TOBEC, fat depth, CW 82.1

Best TOBEC analysis fat depth, CW 99.0

Dose Response Trial (3)

• A twenty trial summary of growth performance indicates that the RAC response on growth performance is dose related and consistent (Elanco, 1999)

• Gu et al., 1991 indicated that RAC increased growth rate and feed efficiency over various genotypes

Objectives

• Determine magnitude of response to RAC at varying levels with three industry terminal cross lines with increased lean accretion rates over a four week time period

Procedures

• 300 gilts from 3 lines; BW=184 lb• 4 treatments; 6 week trial

– Control – 4.5 g/ton– 9 g/ton– 18 g/ton– Pigs were fed a diet containing a 1.1% lys level

for the 4 week time period

• Pigs were weighed and scanned weekly

ADGADG

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

Control 4.5 g/ton 9 g/ton 18 g/ton

Wks 1 Wks 2 Wks 4 Overall

lbs/d

C.V. 3.80 6.33 6.35 5.53

Diet = P<.05

***

* *** * *

** ** **

Wks 3

ADFIADFI

4.5

5

5.5

6

6.5

Control 4.5 g/ton 9 g/ton 18 g/ton

lbs/d

Wks 1 Wks 2 Wks 4 Overall

C.V. 3.80 6.33 6.35 5.53

Diet = P<.05

b

Wks 3

abab b

a

ab

a

ba

a a

aa

abb

ab

ab

b ab

a

b

F:GF:G

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Control 4.5 g/ton 9 g/ton 18 g/ton

lbs/d

Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 4 Overall

C.V. 3.80 6.33 6.35 5.53

Diet = P<.05

Wk 3

cbc

ab

a

b

aaa

b

aa

a

b

a aa b

a a a

Carcass MeasurementsCarcass Measurements

Control4.5 g/ton

RAC9 g/ton RAC

18 g/ton RAC

C.V.

Slaughter BW,

lbs

245.8a 253.7b 254.2b 255.1b 6.00

HCW, lbs 180.3a 187.4b 188.0b 190.3b 6.49

% Yield 73.3a 74.3b 73.9b 74.4b 2.36

10th Rib FD, in .70b .66ab .67ab .65a 20.0

LD, in 2.19a 2.27a 2.32ab 2.40b 11.5

% Lean 54.7a 55.5ab 55.5ab 56.2b 4.11

The Effect of Paylean on Cost / Premium in Late Finishing Pigs

4.5 9 18 Std.Control Paylean Paylean Paylean Error

# of Pigs 72 75 70 75HCW, lbs 180.3a 187.4b 188.0b 190.3b 1.48Cost/lb gain, $* .1932ab .1853a .1989b .2188c .00328 day feed cost, $* 10.66a 11.37b 12.62b 13.90b .295Premium/pig, $ 6.68a 7.47b 7.55b 8.06b .253Total price/pig $ 107.78a 113.05b 113.35b 115.22b 1.08Pig price minus feed cost 97.12 101.68 100.75 101.32Net above cost 4.56 3.63 4.20Cost of Paylean included for those diets containing Paylean

Relative response of 5 ppm versus 20 ppm ractopamine in past research trials.

5 ppm/Growth Variable 0 5 20 SE 20 ppm

Average Daily Gain 834 894 916 5 .72 g/dayAverage Feed Intake 2.99 2.95 2.87 .02 .33 kg/dayFeed Conversion 3.62 3.33 3.16 .02 .63

Carcass Variables

Dressing Percentage 73.3 73.7 74.4 .1 .36Percent Lean 51.8 53.9 57.5 .1 .3710th Rib Backfat Depth 2.74 2.09 2.41 .05 .24 (cm)

Relative response of 5 ppm versus 20 ppm ractopamine in recent research trials.

5 ppm/Growth Variable 0 5 20 SE 20 ppm

Average Daily Gain 884 993 1025 13 .90 g/dayAverage Feed Intake 2.61 2.55 2.48 .05 .55 kg/dayFeed Conversion 2.95 2.56 2.43 .05 .75

Carcass Variables

Dressing Percentage 73.3 74.3 74.4 .2 .90Percent Lean 54.7 55.3 56.2 .3 .5510th Rib Backfat Depth 1.78 1.68 1.65 .05 .77 (cm)

Conclusions

• Pigs fed RAC had an increase in ADG of 7.7% compared to the control treatment, however, no differences were observed between RAC treatments

• 18 g/ton RAC had reduced ADFI of 5% compared to 9 g/ton RAC treatment

• All pigs fed RAC had improved F:G of 17.5% compared to the control treatment

Conclusions

• All pigs fed RAC had an increase in final BW and HCW

• 18 g/ton RAC had decreased fat depth (7.9%) and increased loin depth (8.5%) compared to the control treatment

• 18 g/ton RAC had increased loin depth compared to 4.5 g/ton RAC

• Actual lean mass increases as Paylean increases from 4.5 to 18 g/ton

Implications

• As the level of RAC was increased in the diet, growth performance and carcass traits were improved with a four week feeding program

• However, 85% of the increase in ADG and F:G in all 3 genotypes were observed at the 4.5 g/ton RAC level

Our Recommendations

1. If pigs are close to optimal percent lean

• Feed 4.5 g/ton level, target pigs for 20-28 d on Paylean, increase lysine by 35% the first two weeks and 20-25% the second two weeks.

Our Recommendations

2. To increase the lean percentage

• Feed 4.5 g for approximately 2-1/2 weeks and 9 g/ton for 2-1/2 weeks. Increase lysine by 35% for the first phase and 25-30% the second phase.