GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND SERUM METABOLITES OF GROWING PIGS FED MICROBIAL DEGRADED CASSAVA PEEL-LEAF MEAL DIET

Abstract

This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of microbial degraded cassava peel-leaf blend on the growth performance and blood serum biochemistry of growing pigs. Eighteen intact male growing pigs (Landrace), weighing 44.6kg, were housed in a concrete cubicle with six pigs per treatment for six weeks. Pigs were fed ad libitum feed and water. Experimental diets were: control, microbial treated cassava peel and leaf blend and untreated cassava peel and leaf blend diets. The Cassava peel-leaf blend replaced maize at 100%. Cassava peel and leaf were mixed at ratio 5:1, allowed to ferment using Aspergilus tamari at 10.5 x 108 spurs/gram for five days, after which the mass was sundried to form microbial degraded cassava peel-leaf (MCPL). While the untreated cassava peel and leaf blend was tagged UCPL. Daily feed intake recorded and body weight was recorded for each treatment weekly. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected for serum biochemical indices. The results showed that pigs fed MCPL marginally gained more weight compared to pigs on the UCPL and control diets; and that the FCR of pig on MCPL was marginally better than those on other diets. The inclusion of cassava peel-leaf blend with or without microbial degradation had no significant (P>0.05) effect on the serum biochemical indices. It may be concluded that, feeding of microbial degraded cassava peel-leaf blend caused marginal improvement in the growth of pigs with no effect on blood serum biochemical indices.