Sodium for piglets from 9 to 25kg maintained in a thermoneutral environment

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of sodium levels on zootechnic performance, production and evaluation of the pH of feces and urine of piglets reared in a climatic chamber under thermal comfort (25 ± 2.7°C). It were used 50 commercial hybrids piglets with high genetic potential for lean tissue deposition with initial weight of 9.06 ± 0.93kg and final weight of 25.2 ± 0.88kg, allotted to a completely randomized block design with five treatments (0.13; 0.27; 0.41; 0.55 and 0.69% of sodium), five replicates and two animals by replicate. Sodium levels did not influence the final weight, feed intake and weight gain of piglets. There was a quadratic effect with minimum point of the feed:gain with the best level estimated at 0.36% sodium. There was no effect on the production of feces. There was a linear increase in pH of urine, feces and urine production with increasing of sodium levels in the diet. The level of 0.36% of sodium in the diet improved feed:gain for piglets in thermoneutral environment.