Influence of dietary electrolyte balance on feed preference, appetence and performance in post-weaned pigs

摘要

Dietary electrolyte balance (dEB), calculated as the net balance between fixed cations and anions ([Na + K] - [CI]), represents, in part, the net acid or alkaline load contributed by the diet (Patience et ah, 1987). The mineral fortification of dietsin the feed industry may modify the dEB. The hypothesis tested in the present study is that post-weaned pigs would be able to discriminate a preference for diets differing on the mineral content and the dEB, and they could choose those that optimise growth performance.