GUINEA PIG MANAGEMENT MANUAL - Benson Institute

Therefore, forage assures an adequate intake of fiber and Vitamin C and helps to partly cover
requirements for some nutrients. Concentrated foods complete a good diet to satisfy the
requirements for protein, energy, minerals and vitamins. An optimum supply is reached with
this diet.
Feeding with concentrated food could make up 40% of the total food.
The ingredients used for preparation should be high quality and low cost. Products that contain
insects, fungi, or that are contaminated with salmonella should be avoided. Elaboration should
be done according to the phase requirement, as you can see on the following table:
TABLE 1: EXAMPLE OF CONCENTRATED FOOD (WINTER PHASE)
Composition
Fresh alfalfa
Mixed hays
(alfalfa, oat straw, corn leaf)
Baked wheat
Wheat bran
Sunflower
Bone flour
“Conchilla”
Salt
Vitamins and minerals
TOTAL
Source: MEJOCUY Project, 1999.
Stage
Gestation and lactation Growing
20.0
20.0
30.0
30.0
12.0
20.0
14.2
1.9
1.0
0.7
0.2
100.0
TABLE 2: LEVELS OF FOOD GAURANTEE
28
11.0
25.0
11.0
1.2
1.0
0.6
0.2
100.0
Nutrients Reproduction Breeding
Digestible energy (Kcal/kg.)
Total protein (%)
Crude fiber (%)
Calcium (%)
Phosphorus (%)
2,860.00
18.00
19.33
1.40
0.61
The stages in which guinea pigs can be given concentrated food are:
2,900.00
17.00
19.56
1.16
0.47
• At the start of pairing so that they have a larger number of offspring per birth
• At the end of the pregnancy so that the offspring have a proper weight