Effectiveness of the use of diets with a high content of triticale in fattening young pigs

Purpose. To establish the effect of compound feeds with an increased content of triticale on the productivity of young pigs and the quality indicators of pork obtained from them. Methods. In order to establish the effectiveness of the use of diets with an increased content of triticale grain in feeding young pigs grown for meat, a set of research methods was used. Productivity assessment, feed accounting, feed conversion, physicochemical indicators of the composition of feeds and quality indicators of the resulting meat were determined. A number of morphological and histological indicators were also determined for carcass evaluation. Results. The productivity of young pigs fed with complete compound feeds with a 30 and 45% triticale content was at the level of the control group – 963-973 g of average daily gain. Feed consumption per 1 kg of gain was 2.9-3.0 feed units. Slaughter rates of pigs remained within generally accepted norms. Calculation of economic indicators demonstrated the feasibility of using triticale in such quantities in production conditions, since this reduces the cost of pork production. Studies of physicochemical and morphological indicators of pork quality showed their high quality. Indicators such as pH, color intensity and calorie content characterize meat as high-quality pork and are classified as “semi-fat”, which is valued in cooking. The introduction of triticale into pig diets affects the increase in “marbling” (1.9-2.9%), which is an important indicator. This is due to the high starch content in triticale grain which provides a sufficient level of energy at the final stage of fattening, provided that the protein content is moderate. Conclusions. The use of triticale as a substitute for part of traditional cereals is economically feasible and promising in the technology of intensive pig farming. The inclusion of this grain into pig diets allows maintaining high growth rates, ensuring good meat quality and optimizing feeding costs.