CARCASS QUALITY AND LIPID PROFILE OF GROWING BOARS FED AVOCADO AND GUAVA LEAF MEAL

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess the carcass quality of growing boars fed avocado and guava leaf meal. Twelve (12) crossbred (LW X LR) boars aged 8 weeks and weighed 24.23 ±0.17kg were used for the study. Three balanced diets formulated with avocado leaf meal (T2) and Guava leaf meal (T3) added at 3% body weight of

the animal while T1(without leaf meal) remained as control. The 12 pigs were allotted randomly to the three dietary treatments each comprising of 4 pigs per treatment and two per replicate. At the end of the 56 days feeding trial, blood samples were collected from two pigs per replicate to evaluate the lipid profile while a total of 12 pigs (2 per replicate) were randomly selected, starved for 12 hours and slaughtered to carry out Carcass evaluation. The loin cut was cooked and used for sensory evaluation. Results of serum Lipid profile showed significant (p<0.05) reduction in cholesterol for T2(82.57), T3(98.54) and low density lipoprotein T2(14.66),

T3(16.86) compared to T1(102.46) and (22.90) while high density lipoprotein increased significantly (P < 0.05) in T2(60.30) and T3(63.63) compared to T1(57.53). Dressing percentage showed significant increase, 71% in T2 65% in T3 compared to T1(61%). The same trend was obtained in meat-to-bone ratio. Abdominal fat reduced significantly (P < 0.05) in T3(5.00) and T2(6.00) compared to T1(12.00) while sensory evaluation parameters indicated no significant (p>0.05) difference among treatments except for tenderness which increased for T2 and T3. Avocado and guava leaves significantly increased Carcass yield, improved lipid profile, reduced fat without any adverse effect on sensory parameters of the pigs.