Research Reports

Effect of cassava leave silage as feed on growth performance in growing fattening pigs

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of cassava leaves silage as feed ongrowth performance in growing fattening pigs at the Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos, with the aims of determine the effect of replacing basal diet by ensiled cassava leaves (CSL) on pig growth performance, as well as evaluating the economic efficiency of using CSL in pig diets. Twelve castrated crossbred pigs (Mong Cai x Large White) with average body weight of 23.6 ± 3.2 kg were allocated to three dietary treatments of basal diet (CSL0) consisting of broken rice, rice bran, maize meal and vitamins/mineral premix replaced by cassava leaves silage 50 and 100 % (CSL50 and CSL100, respectively), according to Completely Randomized Design with 4 replication per treatment. Daily DM feed intake was highest in diet CSL50 and decreased when a basal diet and CSL were offered to the F1 growing pig alone in diet CSL0 and CSL100 (P=0.000). Total crude protein (CP) intake was significantly different among treatments (P=0.000). CSL50 was highest in CP intake (164 g/day), then decreased in CSL100 (151g/day) and the lowest in CSL0 diet (102 g/day). There was significant different in average daily weight gain (ADG) between treatment (P=0.000). There were no different in ADG between diet CSL0 and CSL50 (217 and 199 g/day). However, ADG in CSL100 diet was minus (-49 g/ day) because the pigs fed ensiled cassava leaves alone were not meet there requirement, particularly energy resource for maintenance and growing. Feed cost per kg weight gain was high in treatment CSL50 (13,086 Kip/kg weight gain) compared to CSL0 (9,314 Kip/kg weight gain) due to cassava leaves was purchased from out side the farm during the dry season. It was conclude that growth rate of pigs fed basal and combining of basal diet and ensiled cassava leaves was better than fed ensiled cassava leaves silage alone in F1 growing fattening pig production and farmers would improve both of cassava forage nutrients (young leaves) and feed cost when they collect and making silage of cassava leaves themselves.

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Lampheuy Kaensombath, Fongsamouth Southammavong, Thongphanh Kousonsavath