Research Article

The impact of commercial mixed feeds of different physical structure on rearing of piglets and young pigs

Kazimierz Bobko, Wioletta Biel, Agnieszka Neska, Roman Petryschak, Jaroslav Pivtorak, Olga Petryschak

1. Acta Sci. Pol. Zootechnica, 12(1), 2013, 3‒10

Abstract. Experimental material consisted of 20 piglets from litters of 2 sows of wbp x pbz breed, crossed with the Pietrain x Duroc hybrid breed boar. The piglets were divided into two experimental groups of 10 animals. The experiment lasted 84 days, during which experimental group I received the feed in the form of a mash and group II in a pelleted form adapted to each of the rearing period. Analyzing ADFI rate between 5 and 28 days, a low, statistically significant (P ≤ 0.01) daily intake of feed was noticeable and amounted to 54.3 g for MS − 1 mixed feed and 63.6 for MG − 1 mixed feed. Daily gains were also statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05), favoring mash diet. Between days 29 and 50 no significant differences were observed in any of the tested parameters but the results speak in favor of pelleted mixed feed. A significant difference (P ≤ 0.05) was noted in average daily feed intake in the MS − 3 ration between days 51 and 84, compared to the MG − 3 mix, while the value of ADG did not show significant differences. Analyzing the whole testing period, i.e. from day 1 to 84 days after weaning, there was no significant difference in daily gains between mash and pelleted diets, feed consumption or final body weight.

Keywords: feeding, feed intake, growth rate, physical structure of feed, piglets