CERAVITAL XP improves utilisation of crude protein
The excellent effect of CERAVITAL XP was proven in a study at the Gut Hülsenberg livestock farm. It was shown that the addition of CERAVITAL XP guarantees high daily weight gains, stable lean meat contents and high feed efficiency even with reduced levels of crude protein in the diet or with variations in the quality of the feed. The study was based on a total of 300 piglets (DanAvl x Duroc), divided into three groups of 100 animals each and fed different feed mixtures according to a feed curve (see Figure 1):
- Control group: typical composition of feed mixtures
- Test Group I: Reduction of soya bean meal (CP 44%) by 3%
- Test Group II: Reduction of soya bean meal by 3% and addition of CERAVITAL XP
All animals were weighed individually, after 42 and 77 days respectively, and the growth parameters determined. The lower crude protein content in the test mixture was particularly pronounced in the first part of the study. Here, the animals had 1.6% less daily increases in weight compared to the control group at the time of weighing. This is not surprising since in this age range muscle development is more pronounced than with increasing age. Towards the end of fattening, fat development increases in comparison to the muscle development. Nonetheless, CERAVITAL XP was not only able to compensate for the lower crude protein content in the test mixture I, the animals even showed slightly higher daily weight gains than the pigs in the control group (see Fig. 2).
At the second weighing date after 77 days, the effect of crude protein reduction in the test group I on the daily increases in weight was no longer so pronounced (-0.5%). Instead, CERAVITAL XP was proven to be a true growth promoter: Compared to the control group, the addition of CERAVITAL XP to the test diet not only compensated for growth, on average the animals even showed a 2.5% higher daily weight increase with an improved feed requirement rate of 2.3% (see Fig. 2).
CERAVITAL XP - The influence on lean meat content
In addition to the effects on the performance parameters daily weight gains and feed requirement, there was also an effect on carcass quality. The animals had a higher lean meat content with reduced protein feeding when CERAVITAL XP (Test II) was added (see Fig. 3).
