Evaluation of different levels of ascorbic acid in the finishing stage in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus L.) with the exclusion of forage

Abstract

The guinea pig is a mammal native to Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia; it has a short reproductive cycle, easy management, and without a demanding diet; it can be the most economical species for the production of meat of high nutritional value. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of ascorbic acid in guinea pigs with forage exclusion on productive parameters in the finishing stage. Thirty-two improved guinea pigs, 16 males and 16 females (31 ± 4 days old), were randomly distributed in four treatments with four replicates: T1: Balanced based feed + water, T2: 300 mg of Vitamin C / 100 g of concentrate + water, T3: 400 mg of Vitamin C / 100 g of concentrate + water and T4: 600mg of Vitamin C / 100 g of concentrate + water. The study factors were: Factor A, the effect of sex (males and females) and Factor B, the application of vitamin C at three levels. The following were evaluated: live weight gain, average daily gain, feed consumed, feed conversion and profit/cost. Data were analyzed with the mean squares test by multiple T-test. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were obtained in the following variables: live weight gain, for the sex factor with a weight increase in males of 354.88 g and females of 288.44 g; mean daily gain, for the sex factor, with values in males of 6.26 g per day in relation to females that obtained 5.10 g per day, in terms of vitamin C levels it was observed that the treatments T2, T3 and T4 (treatments with vitamin C) obtained higher mean gains of 6.15, 5.99 and 5.98 g per day; in relation to T1 with 4.60 g per day; the best feed conversions were presented in treatments T4 and T3 both with 7.62 g g^-1, followed by T2 with                7.74 g g^-1 with respect to T1 with 9.45 g g^-1; in the feed consumed, no statistical differences were detected between vitamin C levels (p > 0.05). T2 generated greater utility in relation to the benefit/cost with a value of 0.14 and 0.13 USD in males and females, giving greater marginal return where for each dollar invested, 0.14 USD of net profit is obtained. It is concluded that T2 in both males and females, showed more efficiency in the transformation of feed with the addition of vitamin C (ascorbic acid).