The supplementation of diets with available phosphorus (aP) for pigs selected for meat deposition was evaluated, using 100 commercial hybrid piglets, 50 castrated males and 50 females, with average initial weight of 15.03±0.33kg allotted in a randomized block design with five treatments, five replicates, and four pigs, 2 males and 2 females per experimental unit. The treatments were a basal diet and other four diets obtained through basal diet supplementation with dicalcium phosphate to obtain five aP concentrations, 0.106, 0.221, 0.310, 0,406, and 0.493%. The percentages of aP influenced daily feed intake, which increased linearly. Daily weight gain increased and feed conversion improved quadratically up to 0.450 and 0.390% maximum responses. There was no effect of diet supplementation on bone strength. The percentages of aP influenced the calcium and phosphorus contents in the bones, which increased quadratically up to 0.388 and 0.369% maximum responses, respectively. There was no effect of aP percentage in the bone ashe content. Pigs from 15 to 30kg require greater amount of aP in the diet for maximal weight gain (0.450% or 5.33g/d) and greatest feed conversion (0.390% or 4.52g/d) compared to current requirements.
initial phase; minerals; performance; pig; requirements
