EFFECT OF DICOSAN ON PERFORMANCE OF GROWING PIGS

The aim of this field trial was to determine if the inclusion of sodium salts of medium-chain fatty acids distillates (DICOSAN®) could improve the performance of growing pigs with a high genetic value under commercial conditions in México. Twenty pigs (York- Landrace × Duroc) were used with an initial body weight of 49 kg, between 89 and 91 days of age. Animals were randomly distributed into two treatments (n=10), CONTROL (CON) basal growing and fattening diet with ENRADIN F80 (10 ppm), and DICOSAN (DIC) the same CON diet plus DICOSAN® at 1.5 kg/t of feed. The trial lasted 49 days, and initial body weight, final body weight, feed intake and mortality were recorded. With the above data, total weight gain, average daily gain and the feed conversion rate were calculated. The results of performance parameters showed that the inclusion of DICOSAN tended to improve the final body weight (98.9 kg vs 105.1 kg, for CON and DIC respectively; p = 0.054), the global weight gain (49.9kg vs 56.1kg, for CON and DIC respectively; p = 0.054). There were no differences in feed intake with an average consumption of 2.89 kg. The feed conversion ratio was significantly improved with DICOSAN® (2.78 vs 2.55, for CON and DIC respectively; p=0.011). In summary, the inclusion of DICOSAN® at a dose of 1.5 kg/t of feed in growing and finishing pigs can improve performance parameters and for thus the economic status of the pig company.