Use of millet grain in weaning pigs diet: effects on performance and health status

Abstract The effect of feeding a diet containing 25% millet grain on performance and plasma metabolic profile was evaluated in weaned piglets during 21 days trial. A total of 40 pigs with an 8.14±1.08 kg average body weight (BW) was weaned at 28±3 days of age and divided into the control group (C) and the experimental group (M). The C group (n=20) received a conventional diet based on the corn-triticale-soybean meal while in the M group (n=20) received 25% millet grain cv. Marius replaced triticale (2 replicates per group). At the end of the post-weaning period, the performances (BW; average daily feed intake, ADFI; average daily gain, ADG; feed: gain ratio, F: G ratio) and plasma metabolic profile (lipid, protein, enzyme, mineral) were evaluated. A slow, but not significant increase was observed for the BW (+6%), ADG (+12%), ADFI (+5%) and F: G ratio (+7%) of pigs fed M diet. No effect (P>0.05) of dietary treatment on plasma metabolic profile was observed. However, the concentrations of triglyceride (-15%, P=0.089), total cholesterol (-14%, P=0.060) and aspartate aminotransferase enzyme activity (-16%, P=0.095) tended to decreased while inorganic phosphorus (+11%; P<0.04) had increased in the M vs. C diet. The present study indicated that the replacement of 25% millet grain to triticale in weaned piglet’s diet, maintains the performances and blood plasma parameters within the physiological ranges, beneficial to the health status.