Abstract

With the objective of evaluate the productive performance of fattening pigs under heat stress conditions to the consumption of food supplemented with hydrolysable tannins extract (HT), 72 pigs of 70 days old and 26.98 ±SD 4.36 kg BW were used, in a complete randomized block experimental design. The treatments were: 1) Diets based on corn and soybean meal, with nutrient intake according to their productive stage (Control; n = 36), and 2) Control plus 0.2 % extract of HT (n = 36). Pigs were housed in groups of 3 females and 3 males in 12 pens. To the data applied ANOVA (P < 0.05). Pigs consuming food supplemented with HT during growth phase (day 1 – 49 of experiment) had better (P = 0.04) average daily gain (ADG; 0.802 vs. 0.680 kg). In the finalization period (day 50 – 90) the ADG and food conversion rate (FCR) were not affected (P > 0.05) by treatment. When taking together both periods (growth and finalization phase, day 1 - 90), the additional consumption of HT tended to increased (P = 0.06) the ADG in 12.91 % (0.782 vs. 0.681 kg), and the final body weight in 9.26 % (97.17 vs. 88.17 kg; P = 0.06). It is conclude that the consumption of diets with 0.2 % HT enhanced weight gain in the growing-finishing phases of pig fattening under heat stress conditions. Key words: pigs, tannins, fattening.

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