Electrolytic profile and body weight in pigs subjected to diets enriched with different levels of phosphorus

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of diets containing different levels of phosphorus on blood electrolytic profile and on body weight gain in pigs. Sixty hybrid pigs were used, all barrows, with initial body weight of 61.07 ± 0.86 kg and about 110 days old. The animals were distributed in a randomized block design, in 5 treatments, with 12 replicates each. The treatments consisted of diets containing 0.135, 0.200, 0.265, 0.330 and 0.395% available phosphorus. At the beginning and at the end of the experiment, body weight was determined and blood samples were collected, in the animals without fasting, to measure sodium, potassium, chloride, total magnesium, phosphorus and ionized calcium. A quadratic response in body weight was observed, according to treatments, and for serum phosphorus, total magnesium and ionized calcium in the treatments. Weight gain was higher in animals fed with phosphorus supplementation in levels above 0.135%. The best result occurred with 0.330% P supplementation, however, an increase from 0.200% in the diet caused an elevation in phosphorus serum concentration.