Objective

To evaluate the performance of productive indicators in Cavia porcellus (Guinea pig), fed five forage species, during the growth-fattening stage.

Materials and Methods

A study was conducted in the Gupancay farm, located in the Gualaceo canton, Azuay province, Ecuador. A complete randomized experimental design was applied with five treatments, which corresponded to the evaluated species: T1= Medicago sativa L., T2= Alnus acuminata Kunth, T3= Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) cv. Morado, T4= Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray and T5= Saccharum officinarum L. + balanced feed. The duration of the experimental period was four months. The diets were formulated with the forage species and the concentrate feed, in 70-30 % ratio for all the treatments. Fifteen male crossbred newly-weaned Guinea pigs, similar in age and weight, were used. The evaluated indicators were: live weight, weight gain, feed conversion and carcass yield.

Results

The best bromatological composition was for M. sativa and T. diversifolia, with crude protein values of 20 and 21 %, respectively. A. acuminata showed the lowest protein values (5 %), but the highest crude fiber (35,2 %) and organic matter ones (94,8 %). However, the in vitro organic matter digestibility was low with regards to the other forage plants (59,3 %). The best productive results were for the treatments that used M. sativa and T. diversifolia. The lowest values were recorded in S. officinarum and A. acuminata, with significant differences (p<0,001).

Conclusions

The best performance for the variables weight gain, feed conversion ad carcass yield were obtained in the treatments that included M. sativa and T. diversifolia in the diet of Guinea pigs. These forage species had a crude protein percentage higher than 20 %.

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