PERFORMANCE AND MORPHOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF WEANER PIGS REARED ON DEEP LITTER SYSTEM INOCULATED WITH INDIGENOUS MICROORGANISMS

Abstract

Pigs are being produce mainly on cement-concrete floor. Such production system generates waste water (slurry) rich offensive odour, large population of houseflies and emission of polluting and greenhouse gases. In order to assess a production system that may ameliorate these challenges, a study was designed to compare performance and morphometric characteristics of pigs reared on deep litter without indigenous microorganisms, DL- IMOs (T1) and those inoculated with indigenous microorganisms, DL+ IMOs (T2). Forty (40) equal sex weaners pigs of average 126 days old were arranged in five animals x 4 replicate x 2 treatments (n=40; M=20, F=20). Data obtained from the two treatments for each of the parameter measured were subjected to a pair t-test analysis of STATA. Those reared on DL+ IMOs (n=20; M=10, F=10) produced better performance in IBW, FBW, AWG, AFI, FCR and morphometric results (not significant, p>0.05) over the untreated litter, DL- IMOs (n=20; M=10, F=10). Respective results from the two-litter system showed that FBW= 12.43 ± 2.00 and 11.62 ± 3.07 and FCR = 0.83± 0.27 and 0.78 ± 0.32. Sex performance did not differ significantly between entire male and female pigs irrespective of deep litter system. Results of the present study suggest the potential of DL+ IMOs for awareness creation and adoption among the pig producers in Nigeria.