With the objective of evaluating the effects of the number of animals per experimental unit and the type of feeder on the nutritional requirement and carcass characteristics of pigs from 60 to 95 kg, 704 castrated male pigs with initial body weight of 59.84 ± 1.67 kg were used. The animals were distributed in a randomized experimental design subdivided into parcels, with different number of animals per experimental unit (EU) and in the subplots, a 2 × 4 factorial scheme, with 2 types of feeders and 4 levels of digestible lysine in the diet (0.75, 0.85, 0.95 and 1.05%), in a completely randomized block design with 4 replicates. There was no significant interaction between lysine levels, type of feeder and number of animals per EU on feed intake (DFI), lysine intake (DLI), weight gain (DWG) and feed conversion (FC). It was verified that DWG and DLI increased linearly with increased digestible lysine levels. It was verified that FC improved linearly, although the "Linear Response Plateau" model was the best that adjusted to the data, estimating in 0.96% the level of digestible lysine, corresponding to a daily consumption of 26.1g after the start of the "plateau". The use of two animals/EU provided better DWG and FC results. An interaction between the type of feeder and the number of animals per EU was observed, the carcass gain (CG) and the lean meat quantity (LMQ) were reduced with the use of feeders conjugated with nipple drinkers in the EU with two animals; however, no variation was observed with the type of feeder when the EU presented 20 animals. It could be concluded that pigs from 60 to 95 kg require, respectively 1.05 and 0.96% of digestible lysine for better DWG and FC performance, regardless of type of feeder and number of animals per EU; and in the EU with two pigs, the animals show changes on their performance, increasing DWG and improving FC, without significant changes on DFI and DLI.
digestible amino acid; finishing pigs; nutrition; requirement
