Effect of feeding germanium biotite on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and serum characteristics in nursery pigs.
- W. B. Lee, I. H. Kim, J. W. Hong, O. S. Kwon, B. J. Min, K. S. Son, and Y. K. Jung, Department of Animal Resource & Science, Dankook University, SEOBONG Biobestech Co., Ltd.

The objective of this study was determined the suitability of germanium biotite as a dietary supplement on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and serum characteristics in nursery pigs. A total of seventy-five pigs (initial body weight 21.18 ± 0.15kg) were used in this experiment. This study was carried out for 21 days. The five treatments were control (CON, basal diet), GB0.5-200 (basal diet + 0.5% germanium biotite, 200mash), GB1.0-200 (basal diet + 1.0% germanium biotite, 200mash), GB0.5-325 (basal diet + 0.5% germanium biotite, 325mash) and GB1.0-325 (basal diet + 1.0% germanium biotite, 325mash). Each treatment had five replicates with three pigs per replicate. For overall period, average daily feed intake and gain/feed were not significantly different among the treatments (P＞0.11). However, pigs fed GB1.0 diets had higher average daily gain than pigs fed GB0.5 diets with significant difference (P＜0.03). Dry matter tended to increase as the particle size and dietary supplement of germanium biotite in the diet was increased. N and Ca digestibility were significantly different among the treatments (P＜0.01). Supplementing germanium biotite in the diet reduced the fecal NH3-N concentration. The fecal NH3-N and butyric acid tended to increase as the particle size of germanium biotite in the diet was decreased (P＜0.01). RBC and WBC were significantly different among the treatments (P＜0.03). In conclusion, supplementing germanium biotite in diets for nursery pigs reduced fecal noxious gases.

Key word: Germanium biotite, Performance, Pigs