A nutritional evaluation of diets containing meat meal for growing pigs. 1. The effect of calcium level in wheat-animal protein diets

Abstract

Diets containing 1.4, 2.5, and 3.5 per cent calcium were fed to pigs in two experiments to observe the effect on performance of calcium level in diets containing animal protein supplements. Rate of liveweight gain and efficiency of food conversion were depressed as the level of calcium increased. There was also a trend towards a decrease in the lean content of the ham with increased calcium intake. Dry matter and organic matter digestibility of the diets were depressed as calcium intake increased, but no apparent effect on nitrogen retention was detected. There was no indication of parakeratosis in any of the animals.