To evaluate the effects from two lipid sources (soybean oil and coconut oil) and of four energy levels (3350, 3450, 3550 and 3650 kcal/kg ration) on performance from 60 to 100 kg boars, eighty animals were used. The experimental design of randomized blocks with a factorial arrangement of 2 x 4 (sources x energy levels), with five replications of two animals per box, was used. Experimental diets formulated on the basis of maize, soybean meal and vitaminic and mineral supplement were feed ad libitum until the end of the experimental period when animals reached 100.40 ± 5.67 kg average weight . There was no effect of the digestible energy (DE) level on the daily feed intake neither on the daily weight gain; however, these parameters were influenced by the energy source and the best results obtained with the use of the coconut oil. The feed:gain ratio was influenced in a quadratic way by the DE levels, when using the coconut oil. No effects of the soybean oil were observed on feed:gain ratio. The efficiency of the energy use for weight gain was improved in a quadratic way when using the coconut oil and linearly worsened when using the soybean oil in the diets. The digestible energy intake was not influenced by changing in the DE levels. The daily intake of lysine was not influenced by the DE levels, although it was higher when the coconut oil was used as lipidic source. Diets with coconut oil as lipidic source showed the best results of weight gain. The best value of feed:gain ratio of the animals that received diets with coconut oil was estimated in level of 3583 kcal.
coconut oil; nutrition; soybean oil; finishing pigs
