Productive and economic response of guinea pigs to the use of four types of forage feeders

The study evaluated the effect of various types of forage feeders on the efficiency of forage usage and on the productive and economic response of guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) breeding. A total of 250 weaned male of 15 days of age at the Mantaro valley, Junín, Peru were used in a completely randomized design with five treatments of forage supply and five repetitions per treatment. Each repetition corresponded to a cage with ten guinea pigs. Four forage feeders were evaluated: cylindrical mesh on the floor (CMP), hanging U shaped mesh (MCU), iron grilled with foot on the floor (PFP) and hopper mesh in V shaped (TMV), plus the traditional method with the forage directly on the floor (DSP). The use of feeders improved forage consumption efficiency, total food consumption and benefit cost ratio (p<0.05). MCU was the most promising feeder in terms of forage consumption efficiency, body weight gain, total feed consumption, unit production cost and benefit cost ratio (p<0.05). It is concluded that the use of feeders improves productive and economic parameters, and the best feeder was the hanging U shaped mesh (MCU).