ABSTRACT


Marco A. Esnaola L.1 y Juan G. Rosa W.2
 
Two feeding trials involving a total of 82 cross-bred fattening pigs were carried out in order to evaluate the nutritive value of unrestricted amounts of whey fed under differents levels of meal. Furthermore, the efect of wetting the meal either in whey or water was measured. The experimental treatment were as follows: 1 All meal, fed ad libitum; u Meal restricted in 25%, of the intake measured in lot I, plus whey ad libitum; II Meal restricted in 50% of the intake measured in lot 1, plus whey ad libitum, and Iv Meal wet in whey, fed ad libitum. In trial 2 a lot v was added in which the meal was wet with water and fed ad libitum. In lots Iv and v the wetting of the meal was done just before being offered in 1:1 proportion (1 Kg of meal and 1 litre of whey or water).When meal was restricted in 25 or 50% plus unlimited amounts of whey, the daily gains were not significantly affected (P 0,05) as compared with the all meal lot. The meal conversion ratio (Kg meal: Kg gain) was improved in the lots receiving whey being the saving per Kg of gain in the case of lot equivalent to half of the amount used in the all meal lot. Under the experimental conditions it was calculated that 13 to 18 litres of whey were equivalent to 1 Kg of the complete meal and therefore whey will be uneconomical if costing per liter more than 1/13 to 1/18 of the cost per Kg of meal. The use of whey did not affect in a large extent, the carcass characteristics. The wetting of the meal either in whey or water significantly improved (P < 0,01) the rate gain as compared with the all meal lot, but further research is needed before any firm conclusion can be reached.
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1Ing. Agr., Ph. D., Proyecto Cerdos-Aves, Estación Experimental Carillanca, Casilla 58-D, Temuco, Chile.
2Ing. Agr., Proyecto Cerdos-Aves, Estación Experimental Carillanca, Casilla 58-D, Temuco.