Impacts of Different Herbal-Mix Feed Additives on Nutrient Digestibility of Growing Pigs

Abstract

This study was carried out with the aim of investigating the nutrient digestibility and bowel transit time of growing pigs on different herbal-mix feed additives. Twenty Seven, 8 weeks old Large White breed of pigs with an average body weight of 15.33 ± 0.2 kg were randomly assigned to three treatments (Basal diet, Basal + Moringa-Basil and Basal + Neem-Basil Leaf Meals) with each treatment consisting of three replicates of three pigs each. On the 12th week of the experiment, three pigs were selected from each treatment and arranged in a clean disinfected metal metabolic cage. A 7 day adaptation period followed a 5 day of quantification of feed intake and excreted faeces. Faeces were quantitatively collected, homogenized and dried in a forced air cabinet. The faeces and diets were milled to 2 mm and analyzed for proximate composition following standard protocols.. Results obtained shows that all nutrient digestibility parameters considered in this present study were not significantly (p>0.05) influenced by herbal-mix feed additives except ash digestibility. Pigs on ration containing no herbal-mix and Moringa-Basil leaf meals had comparable ash digestibility values (80.69 and 80.52%) that differed significantly (p<0.05) from 60.04% noted for pigs on Neem-Basil leaf meal diet. Herbal-mix feed additives can be included in the ration of growing pigs in order to boost the mineral digestibility of the ration.