REPLACEMENT OF SKIMMILK POWDER IN THE BABY PIG RATION BY A MIXTURE OF WHEY POWDER AND MEAT MEAL

Abstract

The substitution of a mixture of meat meal and whey powder for the skimmilk powder in a dry early-weaning pig ration resulted in a decreased rate of gain and feed efficiency. These decreases were shown to be due, at least in part, to a lower digestibility of crude protein and total carbohydrate in meat meal and whey powder rations.The addition of methionine did not improve rate of gain, feed efficiency or nutrient digestibility in any of the treatments studied. Thus, a methionine level of 0.65 per cent of the ration (2.5 per cent of the protein) appears to be adequate for pigs between 2 and 8 weeks of age.Rate of gain of pigs fed rations containing 26 per cent protein was significantly greater than that of pigs fed 30 per cent protein rations; but, in terms of feed efficiency and nutrient digestibility, both levels of protein resulted in similar values.The dry matter, gross energy, crude protein, ether extract and total carbohydrate of all rations were digested to a greater extent by 7- than by 3-week-old pigs.