Effects of flavomycin levels on the performance and characteristics of swine carcass

Abstract

Thirty pigs (Landrace x Large White x Duroc) - 15 barrows and 15 females - were utilized to study the effects of flavomycin on the performance and characteristics of carcass. Flavomycin was added to the basal ration at the levels of 0.0 - 0.0 - 0.0 (T₁), 5.0 - 2.5 - 0.0 (T₂) and 2.5 - 5.0 - 2.5 ppm (T₃) at pre-growing, growing and finishing phases, respectively. The results of weight gain and feed gain ratio were not statistically different (P >0.05) among the levels of flavomycin studied during pre-growing and finishing phases. In the growing phase the feed consumption of the animals which received the treatments T₁ (92.33 kg) and T₂ (91.99 kg), although not different between themselves, were significantly greater (P <0.05) than the consumption of the animals which received the treatment T₃ (85.20 kg); in the other phases, the results of ration consumption were not statistically different (P >0.05) between the treatments. There were no statistical differences (P >0.05) among treatments as referred to the carcass characteristics. Regarding the sexes, the males showed weight gain and feed consumption significantly (P <0.01) bigger than that obtained by the females; however, the feed gain ration were not statistically different. Carcass characteristics were not affected significantly by different treatments. Males showed bigger (P <0.01) carcass length, backfat thickness, fat-lean ratio and a smaller ham percentage.