Effect of Natural Bioactive Compounds versus Ractopamine: A) On Productivity

Background: The removal of ractopamine from swine production, demanded by both export and local markets, represents a challenge for the swine industry. This study evaluated the effect of AO NATURAL FIT PRO® as an alternative to ractopamine on productive performance. Methods: Thirty-two castrated male pigs (62 ± 2.5 kg initial weight) were randomly assigned to four treatments: control, AO NATURAL FIT PRO® for 8 weeks, ractopamine 10 ppm for 5 weeks, and a combination of both additives. Productive performance parameters were evaluated. Results: The supplemented groups showed significant improvements (P Conclusions: AO NATURAL FIT PRO®, ractopamine, and their combination improved productive performance. The natural additive represents a viable alternative to ractopamine for optimizing swine production efficiency.