Effect of replacing concentrates with plantain peels and maize stalk on performance and serum biochemistry of weaned pigs

Abstract

A total of 36 pigs were randomly allotted into three dietary treatments to evaluate the effects of feeding concentrates, plantain peels and maize stalk on the weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, high density lipoprotein, Aspartate amino transferase, Alanine amino transferase, glucose, total protein, triglycerides and cost of production of weaned pigs. Treatment 1 (T1) contained 100% concentrate; Treatment 2 (T2) contained Plantain peels supplemented concentrate diet, while Treatment 3 (T3) had Maize stalk supplemented concentrate diet. The diets were fed in a ratio of 40:60 (concentrates: supplement). Each treatment had 12 weaned pigs with three replicates of four pigs per replicate in a completely randomized design. The experiment lasted for six weeks. Results showed significant variations in the feed intake of all the experimental animals. Pigs fed concentrate (T1) consumed 5.04kg/pig/week compared to 5.57kg/pig/week and 5.11kg/pig/week that were consumed by pigs in T2 and T3 respectively. However, pigs fed on 100% concentrate (T1) had better feed conversion ratio (3.09) compared to their counterparts fed plantain peels (T2) supplemented concentrate diet (5.69) and maize stalk supplemented concentrate diet (4.91). Although, it cost more to feed pigs T1 diet (N100/week) compared to T2 (N59.00) and T3 (N65.00), the cost/ gain ratio was however better with pigs in TI having value of N309.00 compared to N355.70 and N319.15 recorded for pigs in T2 and T3, respectively. No significant (P>0.05) difference was observed in glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides of the weaners across the treatments. However, pigs fed T2 had AST value of 57.77mg/dl which was significantly higher than 49.05 mg/dl and 26.00 mg/dl observed for pigs fed T3 and T2 respectively. The results further revealed 47.64 mg/dl as the ALT value recorded for pigs that were fed T1 which was significantly lower compared with 59.81md/dl recorded for pigs fed T2. Based on the results of this experiment, it can be concluded that feeding plantain peel and maize stalk as supplement to weaned pigs might be cheaper. The cost/weight gain was not encouraging. Furthermore, the plantain peels and maize stalk supplementation did not confer any additional benefit in the serum profile of the weaners. They should therefore be discouraged in weaners diet.