Effectiveness of using a mineral feed additive in pig feeding

Special attention is paid to ensuring the need for macro- and microelements during the organization of complete feeding of animals. Microelements act as an activator or inhibitor and are characterized by a wide range of effects on the body and productivity of pigs, due to the activity of enzymes, hormones and vitamins in which they are contained in a certain amount. The use of feed additives of mineral origin achieves high results in the production of livestock products. Therefore, the aim of the work was to investigate the effect of a mineral feed additive made of copper sulfate on the productivity and consumption of feed in fattening pigs. For the scientific and economic experiment, 48 heads of 78-day-old hybrid piglets were selected. They formed 4 groups of 12 heads each. The duration of the main experimental period was 72 days. The control group of pigs was fed full-ration compound feed, and the experimental groups consumed the investigated mineral feed additive in different doses in addition to the main diet. It was established that the use of a mineral feed additive in pig feeding increases live weight in the 2nd group by 5.9 % (Р ˂ 0.05), in the 3rd by 8.8 % (Р ˂ 0.01) and in the 4th -th by 10.0 % (Р ˂ 0.001), compared to control peers. With the additional use of the mineral additive, the average daily growth in the 2nd experimental group of pigs increases by 7.9 % (Р ˂ 0.05), in the 3rd by 12.5 % (Р ˂ 0.01) and in the 4th 13.9 % (Р ˂ 0.001), relative to the control. Consumption of the studied feed additive in pigs increases absolute growth in the 2nd group by 8.0 % (Р ˂ 0.001), in the 3rd by 12.6 % (Р ˂ 0.001) and in the 4th by 14.0 % (Р ˂ 0.001), relative to the reference indicator. It was found that with the additional feeding of the feed additive to fattening pigs, feed consumption per 1 kg of growth in the 2nd and 4th groups is reduced by 3.0 %, and in the 3rd by 6.0 %, against the control value.