Feeding Crude Glycerin to Finishing Iberian Crossbred Pigs: Effects on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, and Blood Parameters
Silvia Martínez-Miró,
Josefa Madrid,
Miguel José López,
Juan Orengo,
Cristian Jesús Sánchez,
Fuensanta Hernández
Affiliations
Silvia Martínez-Miró
Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Josefa Madrid
Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Miguel José López
Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Juan Orengo
Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Cristian Jesús Sánchez
Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Fuensanta Hernández
Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
A total of 192 Iberian × Duroc pigs kept under intensive conditions were used to investigate the effects of feeding crude glycerin on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood parameters. Animals were blocked by initial body weight (96.0 ± 11.3 kg) and allotted to pens (16 pigs per pen). Pens were assigned randomly to one of three dietary treatments (four pens per treatment). Dietary treatments contained 0, 5, or 10% of crude glycerin proportionally substituting for wheat (G0, G5, and G10, respectively). Diets were formulated to be isoenergetic and isoaminoacidic. No significant effect of crude glycerin was observed on average daily gain, average feed intake, or feed conversion ratio. The apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein was no different between treatments. Total serum protein, albumin, glucose, insulin, and IGF-1 were not affected by glycerin inclusion. In conclusion, crude glycerin up to 100 g/kg can be included in the diets of finishing Iberian crossbred pigs without any negative effect on growth performance, digestibility, or serum metabolic parameters.
