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Ensiled taro leaves as replacement for fish meal (2)
Effect of Taro ( Colocasia esculenta ) leaf silage as replacement for fish meal on feed intake and growth performance of crossbred pigs
Abstract
Eighteen crossbred (Large White x Local) male pigs with initial body weight of 20.9± 0.29 kg were allocated randomly into 3 treatments replicated 6 times, with one pig in each pen. The treatments were ensiled leaves of taro ( Colocasia esculenta ) replacing 0 (FM), 50 (FM-TS) or 100 (TS) % of the protein from fish meal in a basal diet of sugar palm syrup and rice bran.
Total dry matter feed intake was lower in TS than in FM and FM-TS (P<0.01), also when expressed on a live weight basis (37.8, 41.9 and 33.1 g/kg for FM, FM-TS and TS, respectively) (P<0.01). Average daily gain was highest for FM-TS (278g), followed by FM (226g) and TS (119g) (P<0.05). Dry matter feed conversion and cost of feed per kg gain were highest for TS (8.79 kg/kg gain and 2.24 US$/ kg gain, respectively) and lowest for FM-TS (4.69 kg/kg gain and 1.09 US$/kg gain, respectively) (P>0.05). Daily gains and feed conversion were only around 50% of the genetic potential of the pigs for these traits.
Further research is needed to identify the true constraints to pig growth when protein from ensiled taro leaves is a major component of the diet.
Key words: Feed conversion ratio, rice bran, sugar palm syrup
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Phiny C, Ogle B, Preston T R and Borin K 2008: Growth performance of pigs fed water spinach or water spinach mixed with mulberry leaves, as protein sources in basal diets of cassava root meal plus rice bran or sugar palm syrup plus broken rice. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Volume 20, supplement. Retrieved printDate()May 27, 2008, from http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd20/supplement/phin2.htm