ACCEPTABILITY AND CONSUMPTION OF SPRAY DRIED PLASMA AND HAEMOGLOBIN IN DIETS FOR STARTING PIGS

Se empleó un diseño de bloque al azar con siete tratamientos y cuatro réplicas por tratamiento en un experimento de cafetería para determinar durante 35 días la aceptabilidad y consumo de plasma sanguíneo y hemoglobina desecados incluidos en dietas para cerdos en iniciación. Se usaron 28 cerdos híbridos de razas mejoradas, machos castrados con 7 kg de peso vivo, alojados en grupos de siete animales en corrales provistos de siete comederos. Los tratamientos fueron tres niveles de plasma sanguíneo seco y tres de hemoglobina seca comparados con un séptimo tratamiento control y se suministraron en forma aleatoria 500 g de sendas dietas y agua ad libitum entre 9:00 y 11:00 horas. No se encontraron limitaciones de aceptabilidad para ninguno de los tratamientos en estudio. Sin embargo, las dietas con niveles de 8 y 12% de plasma sanguíneo parecieron ser más aceptadas y determinar un mayor (P0.05) consumo de alimento. Por otra parte los niveles de 8 y 12% de hemoglobina parecieron las menos apetecibles y determinaron el menor (P0.05) consumo de alimento. A random block design with seven treatments and four replications per treatment was mployed in a cafeteria trial to determine during 35 days the degree of acceptability and consumption of spray dried blood plasma and haemoglobin in starting piglets. A total of 28 hybrid, castrate male piglets averaging 7 kg body weight, were allocated into groups of seven animals each and housed in pens provided of seven feeders and water drinkers. Treatments consisted of diets with either three levels of spray dried blood plasma or three levels of haemoglobin compared to a control diet given at random at a rate of 500 g per animal during 9:00 and 11:00 hours. There were no constraints for acceptability in any studied treatment. However, diets with either 8 or 13% spray dried blood plasma appeared to be the best preferred by the animals showing a high (P0.05) feed intake. On the other hand 8 and 12% haemoglobin in the diet appeared to be the least preferred by the piglets, therefore determining the lowest (P0.05) feed intake.