INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ENERGY ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF CROSSBRED PIGS
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Date
2001
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COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES Mannuthy - Thrissur
Abstract
An experiment was conducted to assess the influence of different
le\'els of energy on the growth performance of crossbred (Large White
Yorkshire x Desi) pigs.
Fifteen male (castrated) and fifteen female weaned crossbred piglets
with an average body weight of 12.9 kg were divided into three equal groups
as uniformly as possible with regard to age, sex and body weight. The three
groups of piglets were maintained on three rations with 16 per cent crude
protein but differing in their energy content, viz., 2800 kcal (Tl), 3000 kcal
(T2) and 3200 kcal (T3) of digestible energy (DE) per kg.The average daily gains recorded for the three groups Tl, T2 and T3
were 262.9, 302.0 and 362.8 g respectively. The cumulative feed conversion
efficiencies were 6.0, 5.2 and 4.1 for the groups Tl, T2 and T3 respectively.
The values recorded for T3 were higher (P<0.01) than those for Tl and T2.
The digestibility coefficients of nutrients except that of crude fibre and
crude protein were found to improve with increase in the energy content of the
rations.
Study of the carcass traits revealed that the body weight at slaughter
and dressed weight without head improved as the energy content of the rationsincreased. However, dressing percentage, carcass length and back fat
thickness were not significantly influenced by the energy content of the ration.
The cost of feed per kg weight gain of animals was significantly lower
(P<0.01) for the dietary treatment T3 compared to that of T2 and Tl, the
values being Rs.49.90, 43.30 and 34.10 for Tl, T2 and T3 respectively.
The above results indicate that crossbred pigs require 3200 kcal of
DE/kg of the ration for better growth performance provided the crude protein
level is maintained at 16 per cent.
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