Acceptance of Fresh Swine Excreta by Growing Bulls

Abstract

Gutierrez-Vazquez, E., Pena-Perez, F., Partida-Partida, M. and Flachowsky, G. 1994. Acceptance of fresh swine excreta by growing bulls. J. Appl. Animal Res., 5: 143–152.

Three group feeding experiments with 16, 12 and 16 zebu bulls of 235, 295 and 273 kg average initial body weight were carried out to investigate the influence of feeding fresh swine excreta mixed with molasses and corn stubbles on feed intake and weight gain during feeding period of 105, 70 and 114 days, respectively. The diets contained 54, 35 and 27% fresh swine excreta; 25, 30 and 36% molasses; and 21, 35 and 37% corn stubbles in experiments 1A, 2and 3A, respectively. In experiment 1B a mixture of swine waste and molasses and corn stubbles were fed separately while in experiment 3B a mixture of fresh swine waste 25%, molasses 44.5%, corn stubbles 30% and urea (0.5% on DM basis) was fed. Voluntary intake of diet 1A became optimum after 3 weeks and in 1B after 9 weeks. Mean DM intakes were 2.71, 2.12, 2.63, 2.81 and 2.55 kg/100 kg body weight; Average daily gains 611, 458, 900, 1161 and 940g; and feed (DM)/gain ratios were 10.93, 12.31, 9.60, 8.20, 8.84 kg in experiments 1A, 1B, 2, 3A and 3B, respectively. Fresh swine excreta mixed with molasses and low grade fodder may be used to overcome deficiency in diets of growing bulls.

Key words:

• Fresh swine excreta
• growing bulls
• feed intake
• weight gain