A note on the pattern of feed intake in Mexican Cuino pigs.

The effect of sex (females or castrated males) on the pattern of feed intake was studied in 14 Mexican local, Cuino pigs averaging 59.6 kg and fed ad libitum a conventional diet given in meal form and based on maize and soybean meal (N x 6.25, 14.2%) during 16 weeks. Feed consumption during the two hours of observation (9:00 to 11:00 a.m.) accounted for 91.5 and 94.8% of dry feed offered to castrate male and female Cuino pigs; therefore, during the session of measurements, the level of feed intake was 35.2 and 35.3 g/kg live weight in castrate male and female individuals. Females spent less time eating than the castrate male animals (p<0.01) but visited the trough more frequently (p<0.05). As a consequence, meal size was significantly smaller (p<0.05) in female than in castrate male pigs. Eating rate showed a sex effect (p<0.01) too. Mean eating rate was 41.3 and 72.4 g DM/min for castrate male and female pigs, respectively. It is suggested that differences exist between castrate male and female Cuino pigs in the pattern of feed intake.