Evaluación productiva de cuyes mejorados (Cavia porcellus) alimentados con bloques nutricionales a base de maiz (Zea mays) y (Saccharum officinarum) en etapa de crecimiento y engorde

Abstract

Unfortunately, the application of balanced diets based on agricultural by-products does not have statistical information, a fact that does not allow having a referential knowledge in the formulation of a balanced diet, which provides the sources of protein, fiber and energy necessary for their growth, trying to implement low-cost food for the formulation of rations that minimize dependence on concentrated food. The aim of the research was to evaluate the use of nutritional blocks based on Zea mays and Saccharum officinarum in the growth and fattening stage, compared to the administration of commercial concentrates. An experimental sample of 32 improved creole guinea pigs of 21 days of age, distributed in four treatments, with four repetitions and two experimental units, was evaluated. Feed consumption, final weight, weight gain, feed conversion, carcass weight and carcass yield of the guinea pigs were evaluated. The treatments consisted of diets combined with Axonopus scoparius and control treatment of concentrate (T0), corn-based nutritional block (T1), saccharin-based nutritional block (T2) and nutritional block based on 50% corn - 50% saccharin (T3), observing that the best yields were obtained in those animals fed with nutritional block (T3) in the growth-fattening stage, generating results in the productive behavior reaching an average final weight of 938, 13 grams, a weight gain of 631.50 grams, a feed consumption of 1498.46 grams and a carcass weight of 640 grams, with productive indexes higher than T0, which resulted in a considerable reduction of costs, obtaining a B/C of 0.17 dollars, increasing profitability, establishing this formulation as a viable alternative for Ecuadorian guinea pig producers.