Lactic casein whey powder in rations for pigs: I. The substitution of un-neutralized lactic casein whey powder for barley meal in an all-meal ration for growing pigs

Abstract

SummaryThe results of 2 experiments indicated that casein whey powder can successfully constitute a relatively high proportion of an all-meal diet for growing pigs. Pigs given a diet consisting of a basal meal allowance per day of ½ lb meat meal and 1½ lb barley meal plus increasing amounts of casein whey powder took significantly less time and required significantly less food to grow from 50 lb to 120—140 lb liveweight, than either the control pigs or those given diets containing smaller basal meal allowances but correspondingly more whey powder. In the best diet whey powder comprised approximately 40% of the total food consumed. In one experiment, diets containing more whey powder than this resulted in slower growth rates, relative to that of the controls, from 110 lb liveweight onwards.There was a little more scouring on the diets containing the greater amounts of whey powder; but even where whey powder formed approximately 83% of the total food consumed, the incidence of scouring was not of great practical importance. Moreover, there was considerable variation among animals within treatment groups in this respect.