Farinha de algas marinhas calcíticas (Lithothamnium calcareum) na alimentação de leitões na fase de creche.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of Calcitic Seaweed Flour (CSF) in the feeding of piglets during the nursery phase and its effects on the calcium availability, growth performance, blood parameters and economic viability. In the experiment I, an availability assay was carried out, using 24crossbreed entire males, with an initial average body weight of 15.17 ± 0.7 kg, distributed in a randomized block design, with six replicates and one animal per experimental unit. The treatments consisted of: T1 = basal diet containing the minimum calcium (0.068%), T2 = diet containing calcitic limestone, T3 = diet containing low calcium level (0.018%) to determine the endogenous calcium excreted in feces, and T4 = diet containing CSF. The evaluated foods were calcitic limestone (CL) and CSF that replaced the basal diet in varied amounts, in order to provide 0.82% of total Ca, and the Ca:P ratio was corrected using monoammonium phosphate. At the growth performance (Exp. II), 96 crossbreed piglets were used, entire males, with an initial average body weight of 6.01 ± 0.7 kg and final average body weight of 24.39 ± 3.32 kg, distributed in a randomized complete block design, with three treatments, eight replicates and four animals per experimental unit. The treatments were composed of: T1 = CL; T2 = CL + CSF and T3 = CSF. The variables determined were: Final weight (FW), daily feed intake (DFI), daily weight gain (DWG) and feed conversion (FC). The comparisons between averages of treatment were made respecting the level of 5% of significance by the mean test. The results indicate that the different sources of calcium (CSF and CL) did not influence (P> 0.05) onapparent digestibilitycoefficient and true digestibilitycoefficient,nor on the calcium balance of piglets. The use of CSF in replacing the traditional calcium source may be included for piglet diets in nursery phase, without harm the performance parameters and having influence on the cecal pH of piglets showing better results. However, the economic viability of its use depends of the price relation between the ingredients used in the diet formulation.