NUTRIENT BALANCE STUDY IN A PIGLET DIET SUPPLEMENTED WITH A MIXTURE OF FRUITS

T. Gavriş, Arabela Untea, Gabriela Cornescu, Tatiana Panaite, Iulia Vărzaru, Margareta Olteanu, Cristina Şoica, Mihaela Sărăcilă

Abstract
   The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a mixture of dehydrated fruits (bilberry, blackcurrant, quince,) and essential oils (Bitter fenel fruit oil, Peppermint oil) on nutrients apparent digestibility coefficients on weaned piglets. A 4-week study on 8 piglets (18.69 ± 1.25 kg), male, castrated, half brothers, TOPIGS hybrid, randomly assigned in two groups (C and E). The piglets were housed in individual digestibility cages that allowed daily recording of ingesta and excretion, placed in a controlled microclimate hall (temperature of 22.9 ± 1.00 ° C, humidity 43.9% ± 3.37%). Both groups received diets with the same basic structure (corn, soybean meal - ME 3214 kcal/kg of feed and 18.00% CP). The diet of E group was supplemented daily with 1.65g mixture of fruits. During the experimental period, in the fourth week, a balance (5 days) was carried out to determine the apparent absorption coefficients of the nutrients. The balance parameters determined for protein, fat, ash and non nitrogen extractives substances decreased for experimental group, but the differences were not significant between groups. The same tendency was for digestibility of the amino acids, the differences being not statistically supported. The absorption coefficients of E group, for Cu, Mn, Zn decreased significantly compared to the C group. In conclusion the mixture of fruits does not improve the digestibility of nutrients, other benefits remaining to be studied.

Key words: pigs, plant mix, nutrients, absorption coefficients