Effect of different diets on growth performance and feed efficiency in early weaned piglets

Abstract

In this study the effects of different diets on the survival, growth performance, and feed efficiency of early weaned piglets were investigated. In this study, 96 crossbred piglets obtained from uncontrolled interbreeding of Bulgarian Large White, Large Black, and Turopolje for many years, which had weaned at the age of 28 days, were used and they were grouped equally to form one control and 2 experimental groups. Each group was fed with a different protein diet for 4 weeks: the first group was fed sunflower meal (SFM), the second group was fed soybean meal (SBM), and the control group was fed kitchen wastes. No significant difference (P > 0.05) was determined among the groups for survival rate and average daily feed intake with different diets. In the study, the first experimental group that was fed sunflower meal reached to the maximum value with regard to growth performance (5.298g) whereas the piglets in the control group had the minimum live weight value (4.252 g) (P < 0.05). Average daily gain and feed efficiency of the experimental groups were higher than the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in feed intake among the groups, yet feed efficiency, average daily gain (ADG), and growth performance values were higher for experimental groups compared to the control.