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Forty-two (42) Large White grower pigs with an average liveweight of 28.6±0.01 kg were allocated to three dietary treatments with 14 pigs per treatment in a completely randomised design. Each treatment was replicated 14 times with a pig per replicate. The study was conducted to establish appropriate restricted-fed scale on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of growerfinishers pigs. The three treatments received a standard diet (CP 15.87%) fed at different levels designated as GF5 (diet offered at a quantity equivalent to 5% of liveweight), GF6 (diet offered at a quantity equivalent to 6% of liveweight) and GF7 (diet offered at a quantity equivalent to 7% of liveweight). Feeding levels were directly proportional to the growth parameters studied. Treatment had significant (p0.05) except for loin eye area and the back-fat thickness which increased as the feeding level increased. Pigs can be fed up to 7% of their body weight without any adverse effect on growth performance and carcass characteristics although back fat thickness may be compromised.
Asiedu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.