Response of Weaner Pig to Diets Containing Mollusc (Thais coronata, Egeria radiata, Achatinaa chatina, Pachymelania aurita)Shells

Abstract

A comparative study was conducted to determine the response of weaner pigs to diets containing mollusk shells (Thais coronata, Egeria radiata, Achatina achatina,Pachymelania aurita)as an adsorbent. 30 hybrid (Landrace × Large white) weaner pigs, 8 -10 weeks old whose initial life weight ranged from (9.00 -12.20) kg were assigned to diets supplemented with 0.1 kg each of the four different mollusk shells per 100 kg diet to determine the performance and hematological indices of pigs. The pigs were randomly assigned to 5 treatments, 6 pigs each replicated 3 times with 2 pigs per replicate reared on a concrete-floored pen in a completely randomized design (CRD). The performance parameters measured were weight gain, feed intake feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein intake, and protein efficiency ratio, feed cost of weight gain were calculated. The hematological indices obtained were pack cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb), white blood cell (WBC), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and platelets. Results showed no significant (p>0.05) differences in the performance parameters considered. The hematological indices showed significant (p<0.05) differences among the treatments in PCV, platelets, eosinophil and lymphocytes. It was concluded that the inclusion of mollusk shells as adsorbents in the diets of weaner pigs was not toxic but could improve performance in term of body weight gain.