Utilización de harina de Leucaena leococephala para la alimentación de cuyes en la etapa de crecimiento - engorde

Abstract

At Animal Science Faculty, minor Species program, three levels of leucaena flour were evaluated at (10, 20, and 30%) for feeding guinea pigs during the growth-fattening stage to be compared with a control treatment. For this, it was necessary to apply a combinatory and Completely Randomized Design were A factor were the levels of leucaena flour and B factor was the sex. The experimental results calculated regarding to the bromatological analysis of the flour determined a 13,25 % wet, 18,87 % crude protein content, 11,13 % ashes, and 88,87 % organic matter. In terms of productive behavior, when including leucaena flour diet at 20 % T2 (Treatment 2) reflects the highest weight gaining with (641,15 g) and a carcass yield of (74,40 %) as well as the best feeding conversion (6,80). Regarding with the sex factor male guinea pigs obtained a weight gaining of (648,55 g), a feeding conversion of (6,87) and a carcass yield of (72,91 %) related to the female guinea pigs. The economic evaluation cost-benefit determined that the highest profitability was obtained when using leucaena flour at 20 % with 1,24; it means that per each dollar invested a profitability of 24 cents is obtained. In such a way the use of leucaena flour does not affect to the biological behavior of guinea pigs. Thus, it is recommended to include leucaena flour at 20% in the diet for feeding guinea pigs during the growth-fattening stage.