Ciência Animal Brasileira (Dec 2011)
RAÇÕES COM DIFERENTES NÍVEIS DE INCLUSÃO DE ÁGUA PARA SUÍNOS NA FASE DE CRECHE
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the use of diets with different levels of inclusion of water for pigs in the weaning phase by digestibility and performance parameters. We established three treatments, corresponding to (T1) basal dry and mash diet, (T2) basal diet with the inclusion of water in the ratio of 1:1 (1kg water for 1kg feed) and (T3) ratio of 2:1 (2kg water for 1kg feed). In the digestibility experiment, 12 piglets with average weight of 19.09 ± 2.88 kg were used. The experimental design for the metabolism trial was completely randomized with three treatments and four replications. In the performance evaluation, 36 crossbred commercial line pigs, 18 females and 18 castrated males, with initial weight of 12.32 ± 1.4 kg, were used in a completely randomized design with three treatments and six replications, totaling 18 experimental units, with each replicate consisting of a castrated male and one female. Diets with different levels of inclusion of water did not influence (P> 0.05) (P value) animal performance and digestibility; however, the rate of metabolization of crude protein was higher (P <0.05) for a 1:1 water / feed ration in the control group.