Energy digestibility and metabolizibility of swine diets in the pellet and meal form

Abstract

Twelve barrows were used, with initial average weight of 32.77 ± 4.95 kg, individually allocated in metabolic cages, in a entirely randomized design, with three treatments (NORMAL – normal diet for growing swine; PELLET 80ºC - NORMAL submitted to the pelletization process at 80ºC; PELLET 90ºC - NORMAL submitted to the pelletization process at 90ºC) and four repetitions. The diets were humidified and supplied twice a day. Urine and feces collections were made once a day. The experimental diets, feces and urine samples were submitted to gross energy analysis. The results of the digestibility (GEDC) and metabolizibility (GEMC) coefficients of gross energy were assayed with statistical analysis of Student Newman Keuls. Significant differences were not observed (P>0.05) among the dry matter digestibility coefficients (DMDC) of the evaluated treatments. However it was observed a higher DCGE (P<0.05) for PELLET 90ºC compared to the other treatments. The metabolizable energy ranged from 3,070 to 3,313 kcal/kg, although there was a considerable difference, statistical differences were not observed (P>0.05) for the GEDC. The ME:DE ratio was 0.98 to all the treatments. The process of pelletization at 90ºC provided a better digestibility coefficient of the gross energy compared to pelletization at 80ºC and the normal diet.