Influence of Litter Size at Birth on Productive Parameters in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus)

A study was conducted at the Escuela Superior Politècnica de Chimborazo, Ecuador, to evaluate the influence of litter size of guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) on their development and to establish the economic profitability of the production system. Forty-eight animals were used, distributed into litte...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Animals (Basel) 2020-11, Vol.10 (11), p.2059
Main Authors: Guerrero Pincay, Angela Edith, González Marcillo, Raúl Lorenzo, Castro Guamàn, Walter Efraín, Ortiz Naveda, Nelson Rene, Grefa Reascos, Deyvis Angel, Guamàn Rivera, Santiago Alexander
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age
Alfalfa
Animal species
Birth
Breeding
carcass
Cavia porcellus
Economics
feed conversion
Feeds
Food
Food security
Guinea pigs
Laboratory animals
Livestock
Mathematical models
Meat
Meat production
Physiological aspects
Protein sources
Proteins
Rodents
Rural areas
Rural populations
Statistical models
Weaning
Wildlife conservation
yield
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Summary:A study was conducted at the Escuela Superior Politècnica de Chimborazo, Ecuador, to evaluate the influence of litter size of guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) on their development and to establish the economic profitability of the production system. Forty-eight animals were used, distributed into litters of two, three, and four rodents per litter, with a balanced diet and green fresh alfalfa for the weaning, growth, and fattening stage, the rodents and litters were randomly selected, applying the statistical model completely randomly and evaluating different variables across 120 days. The litters of three guinea pigs obtained the best productive responses and economic profitability. With respect to sex, the males presented better productive behavior, greater economic increase, and less cost, evidencing that mixed feeding influences the number of guinea pigs per birth in terms of growth and development. The results serve to improve guinea pig meat production for the rural population.
ISSN:2076-2615
2076-2615
DOI:10.3390/ani10112059