SUMMARY

Two experiments designed as Latin squares were undertaken to study the effect of level of feed intake and sex in growing pigs on faecal output. The animals received diets of glucose and soybean meal (in both cases, 63:35 in dry basis). In experiment 1, four levels of feed intake were assayed in a unique daily ration served at 9:00 am: 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20 kg DM/kg 0.75 per day. The feed was given to four Yorkshire female pigs averaging 35 kg initial live weight according to a 4 x 4 Latin square design. In experiment 2, three levels of feed intake, 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15 g DM/kg 0.75 per day, were given to nine castrate male pigs of the Cuban CC21 genotype, averaging 40 kg live weight, following a triple 3 x 3 Latin square. A positive, highly significant (P<0.001) relationship between the level of feed intake and faecal output of fresh material, water and dry matter was encountered. Faecal output of fresh material could be described by an exponential function (R 2, 0.657; P<0.01). Faecal output of SCFA and ammonia appeared to behave in a curvilinear manner as a response to varying feed intake level. Sex appeared to be with no influence on faecal output of materials. Further studies of factors affecting faecal output of materials in pigs, underlying those fitted to tropical and local conditions of pig production, are suggested. Key words: pigs, faecal output, level of feed intake, sex, protei