Nettle hay meal feeding and development of replacement pig stock

Abstract

The effect of different amount of nettle hay meal replacing concentrated feed on the development of replacement pig stock in terms of live weight and external measurements are studied. Indicators of growth patterns, nutrient consumption per 1 kg of pigs under test are cinsidered as well. Hematological indicators were researched. The main group of pigs was fed with the basic diet in the comparative and main periods of the experiment. (barley, wheat, pea and corn grits and sunflower meal). Nettle hay meal was added to the diet of the second group under test. It replaced 12.5 % of the protein of the above-mentioned diet. The third diet of pigs under test included 25 % nettle hay meal to replace the protein in concentrated feed. A mixture of micro- and macroelements was used as a mineral additive. The meal was given as dry form twice a day. Nettle hay meal was dried when nettle grass in the budding phase. Nettle hay was ground with a mill of 2 mm grid diameter. Long-term feeding with nettle hay meal in the amount between 12.5 % and 25 % of protein in the concentrated feed diet does not reduce the growth index of the pigs under test and does not increase the consumption of feed units, metabolism and protein per 1 kg of their growth compared to stock fed with concentrated feed rations. The growth indicator analysis demonstrates that the assessing stabable growth of piglets under test is higher than in the rest of groups under test. A similar tendency is observed in the growth tension index assessment. When growing the proportions of piglets’ body structure change, it depends not only on changes in their live weight. So at 8 months of age the pigs that comsumped 12.5 and 25 % nettle hay meal had the highest linear growth rates compared to the other group under test. The results of hematological studies proved the replacement of concentrated fodder protein with nettle hay meal contributed to the increase in the erythrocyte amount, hemoglobin and total protein in the blood. Key words: pigs, young stock, nettle, hay meal, concentrated feed, average daily, absolute, relative growth, mineral elements, feed consumption, formation intensity, stress index, hematological indicators.