CARBADOX, FORMIC-ACID AND POTATO FIBER AS FEED ADDITIVES FOR GROWING PIGS

A growth trial was conducted on 160 pigs to evaluate the effect of dif ferent types of feed additives on performance. The barley-oats-soyabea n meal-based diets were supplemented with either carbadox (0 or 50 mg/ kg) or potato fibre (Povex, 0 or 20 g/kg) in the growing period, or wi th formic acid (0 or 8 g/kg, 85% v/w) throughout the trial. No interac tions between the feed additives were observed. Both carbadox and form ic acid improved, but potato fibre tended to impair the performance of growing pigs (22-51 kg liveweight, LW). Formic acid did not affect th e performance of the finishing pigs (51-102 kg LW). In the finishing p eriod the pigs fed grower diets without carbadox or formic acid compen sated fully for their reduced performance. The performance of pigs fed grower diets with potato fibre remained poorer than that of pigs fed without addition of fibre.