Evaluation of Milk Chocolate Product as a Substitute for Whey in Pig Starter Diets

Four experiments were conducted to study the effects of substituting milk chocolate product (MCP) for dried whey (DW) on growth performance of starter pigs. In Exp. 1 (4 wk) and 2 (5 wk), 440 pigs (age, 25 d) were assigned to one of four diets: 1) 0% DW + 0% MCP, 2) 20% DW + 0% MCP, 3) 10% DW + 10% MCP, or 4) 0% DW + 20% MCP. Linear reductions (P < .06) in ADG, ADFI, and gain/feed (G/F) were detected as MCP increased. Replacement of DW with 10% MCP had little effect on ADG or ADFI in Exp. 1, but it reduced them in Exp. 2. In Exp. 3 (5 wk), 192 pigs (age, 20 d) were fed one of four complex diets: 1) 15% DW + 0% MCP, 2) 10% DW + 5% MCP, 3) 5% DW + 10% MCP, or 4) 0% DW + 15% MCP. As MCP increased, ADG and ADFI decreased linearly (P < .01), but growth performance was similar between pigs fed the 0 and 5% MCP diets. Experiment 4 was a 14-d preference trial in which the four diets from Exp. 3 and 270 pigs (age, 24 d) were used to make three comparisons: a) diet 1 vs diet 2, b) diet 1 vs diet 3, and c) diet 1 vs diet 4. Pigs consumed between 65 and 77% of their total feed intake as MCP-containing diets (P < .01). In summary, MCP could replace DW at a dietary level of 5% without reducing pig performance, but MCP at dietary levels of 10% or more reduced pig performance. Pigs strongly preferred MCP over DW.