Lopes et al., 2007. Ciência Anim. Bras., 8 (2): 217-226

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the protein sources and levels, and lactose in starter diets of piglets weaned at 21 days old. The animals were allotted in a completely randomized design in a factorial 2*2*2, with type of diets (dried whey and fish meal+lactose), levels of crude protein (20 and 24%) and piglet weight at weaning (6.0 and >6.0 kg), in a total of eight treatments and four replicates with 14 piglets (seven males and seven females) each. Results revealed that the performance of 21 days old weaned piglets fed fish meal+lactose (FG 1.81) was better than those fed with dried whey (FG 1.93). The 24% crude protein was more efficient utilized in the fish meal+lactose diets (WG 8.91 kg * 7.93 kg). It is concluded that the type of diets studied do not influence the histological parameters and the villous height is a direct function of piglet weight.