Feeders and rations forms for swine, upon ration losses

Abstract

This experiment was carried out with the objective of comparing EMBRAPA’s prototype feeders (C₁) and conventional feeders (C₂), as well as two physical forms of rations, pelleted (R₁) and meal (R₂). The experimental design was the entirely randomized, with factorial structure 2 x 2 and with the experimental unit represented by the ration losses/pen/day. The utilized animals weighted 77.48 ± 0.48 kg, and the pens were of entirely stripped floor. An interaction statistically significant (P<0.01) was found among feeders and rations. Between C₁ and C₂ , R₂ showed significantly (P<0.01) higher ration losses than R₁ although proportionaly smaller for C₂. The percentual loss of rations was 1.37 ± 0.58 and 0.99 ±0.22 for feeders C₁ and C₂, respectively.