With the objective of evaluating levels of available phosphorus (AP) in diets for swine with high genetic potential for meat deposition,sixty female commercial hybrid swine were used, with initial weight of 30 ± 0.618 kg, distributed in a completely randomized experimental design, with five treatments, six replications and two animals per experimental unit. The treatments consisted of a basal diet without phosphorus supplementation and another four diets obtained by supplementing the basal diet with dicalcium phosphate to obtain five available phosphorus levels (0.115, 0.195, 0.275, 0.355 and 0.435%). No effect of the available phosphorus levels was observed on the feed daily intake. The available phosphorus levels influenced linearly the daily weight gain (DWG) and the feed conversion (FC), and the daily weight gain increased up to the level of 0.349% available phosphorus, and remained on a plateau. The feed conversion decreased to 0.345% of available phosphorous and remained on a plateau. The bone strength, phosphorus levels and ash percentage in the bones linearly increased as available phosphorous levels increased in the rations. There was no effect of the available phosphorous levels of the diets on the amount of calcium in the bones. The available phosphorous levels that showed the best results for daily weight gain and feed conversion in female swine with high genetic potential for meat deposition, from 30 to 60 kg, are, respectively, 0.349 e 0.345%, corresponding to the estimated daily intakes of 7.45 and 7.36 g.
genotype; minerals; nutrition; requirement; swine
