Contribution to the Study of Swine Reproduction: Effect of the Incorporation of Cocoa Cake in the Feed Rations of Pigs on Pregnancy Performance

This study evaluated the effect of incorporating cocoa cake waste into the feed rations of pregnant sows on feed intake, body-weight gain, gestation, and reproductive performance.Twenty-one crossbred gilts [(Large White × Pietrain) × Duroc], approximately 10 months old and averaging 100 kg live weight, were randomly allocated to three groups of seven animals.The animals received gestation diets containing 0% (G0), 9% (G9), or 12% (G12) cocoa meal waste for 17 weeks.Feed intake, body weight, gestation period, fertility, fecundity, prolificacy, sex ratio, piglet birth weight, and health status were evaluated.Data were analysed using analysis of variance, and treatment means were compared using Tukey's HSD test at P<0.05.Sows receiving the G12 diet consumed approximately 133 g more feed and were about 5 kg heavier at farrowing than those receiving the G0 diet (P<0.05).However, cocoa meal inclusion did not Contribution to ….