DRY OR LIQUID TORULA YEAST AND DL METHIONINE IN MOLASSES-B DIETS FOR GROWING PIGS

288 castrated YL x D male and female pigs of approximately 28 kg live weight distributed in four treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial design at a rate of 18 animals/pen were used. The objective was to compare liquid of dry torula yeast supplemented or not with DL-methionine in molasses B diets for growing pigs. The treatments were:liquid torula yeast + molasses B; liquid torula yeast + molasses B + methionine; dry torula yeast + molasses B and dry torula yeast + molasses B + methionine. 100 g of fresh forage/animal and 100 g of rice polishings as a vehicle for evenly distributing CaCO3 and ClNa to all the animals were included. Significant differences (P < 0.01) favouring liquid torula yeast + methionine in respect to weight (kg) and daily gain (g) for the first (0 to 56 days) stage were found. No significant differences in any of the treatments from 57 to 112 days in daily gain and feed conversion were encountered. Daily gains in both stages were: 509 and 771, 570 and 750, 448 and 759 and 478 and 733, respectively. It is concluded that synthetic methionine improves daily gain in liquid torula yeast and molasses B diets during the first growing stage and the alternative of supplying liquid torula yeast offers satisfactory results in animal performance.