EFFECT OF FOOD SUPPLEMENTATION WITH BREWER’S YEAST (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) AND GROWTH PROMOTERS THROUGHOUT THE GESTATION AND REARING OF GUINEA PIGS (Cavia porcellus)

Abstract

In Tumbaco, Pichincha, at 2460 meters above sea level, we assessed the effect of food supplementation with nutritional systems constituted by the combination of: brewer’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Indumix (mineral and vitamins mix) and A-V 25 (vitamin complex with an antibiotic) during the gestation and rearing stages of guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). A completely randomized design was used, with eight treatments; 4 to 5 animals were used per treatment during the gestation stage, and 4 male and 4 female subjects were used per treatment for the rearing stage; these animals were selected randomly. The variables analyzed were: weight-gain, length increase, food conversion, concentrate consumption, fodder consumption, mortality, weight of newborns and financial analysis. There was no statistical significance during the gestation stage for weight-gain; during the rearing stage in male pups, the treatment with highest weight-gain and length increase was t7 (Control + brewer’s yeast + Indumix + A - V 25) with 821,00 g/guinea pig and 11,92 cm/guinea pig, respectively; for female pups, the best treatment was t7 (Control + brewer’s yeast + Indumix + A - V 25) with a weight-gain of 816,50g/guinea pig and length increase of 11,80 cm/guinea pig. The best Benefit/Cost ratio corresponded to t7 (Control + brewer’s yeast + Indumix + A -V 25) and t6 (Control + Indumix + A - V 25), with a B/C ratio of 1.13 USD.