EVALUATION OF MILK CHOCOLATE PRODUCT AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR WHEY IN PIG STARTER DIETS

Four experiments were conducted to study the effects of substituting m ilk chocolate product (MCP) for dried whey (DW) on growth performance of starter pigs. In Exp. 1 (4 wk) and 2 (5 wk), 440 pigs (age, 25 d) w ere assigned to one of four diets: 1) 0% DW + 0% MCP, 2) 20% DW + 0% M CP, 3) 10% DW + 10% MCP, or 4) 0% DW + 20% MCP. Linear reductions (P < .06) in ADG, ADFI, and gain/feed (G/F) were detected as MCP increased . Replacement of DW with 10% MCP had little effect on ADC; or ADFI in Exp. 1, but it reduced them in Exp. 2. In Exp. 3 (5 wk), 192 pigs (age , 20 d) were fed one of four complex diets: 1) 15% DW + 0% MCP, 2) 10% DW + 5% MCP, 3) 5% DW + 10% MCP, or 4) 0% DW + 15% MCP. As MCP increa sed, ADG and ADFI decreased linearly (P < .01), but growth performance was similar between pigs fed the 0 and 5% MCP diets. Experiment 4 was a 14-d preference trial in which the four diets fi om Exp. 3 and 270 pigs (age, 24 d) were used to make three comparisons: a) diet 1 vs die t 2, b) diet 1 vs diet 3, and c) diet 1 vs diet 4. Pigs consumed betwe en 65 and 77% of their total feed intake as MCP-containing diets (P < .01). In summary, MCP could replace DW at a dietary level of 5% withou t reducing pig performance, but MCP at dietary levels of 10% or more r educed pig performance. Pigs strongly preferred MCP over DW.