DIETARY INCORPORATION OF DRIED TUNA (Thunnus albacares) WASTE SILAGE FOR GROWTH IN PIGS

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Date
2011
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COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES-MANNUTHY,THRISSUR
Abstract
An investigation was carried out for a period of 104 days on thirty six weaned (18 male and 18 female) Large White Yorkshire piglets to find out the effect of dried tuna waste silage on growth. The piglets were divided into three groups with six replicates of two piglets in each replicate. The three groups of piglets were randomly allotted to the three dietary treatments, T1 (standard ration with 10 % dried fish), T2 (ration with 50 per cent of protein of dried fish replaced by dried tuna waste silage) and T3 (ration with 100 per cent of protein of dried fish replaced by dried tuna waste silage). The pigs were weighed at the beginning of the experiment and subsequently at fortnight intervals. Blood samples were collected in the beginning and at the end of the experiment for the analysis of various biochemical parameters including plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, total protein, blood urea nitrogen, Ca, P, Mg, Mn, Cu and Zn. A digestibility trial was conducted towards the end the experiment to determine the percentage digestibility of the nutrients of the experimental diets as well as mineral availability. Five animals from each treatment were slaughtered at the end of the experiment to study various carcass characteristics. The animals maintained under the three dietary treatments T1, T2 and T3 had similar growth rate with an average daily gain of 535, 540 and 515 g, respectively. There was no significant difference in feed conversion efficiency between groups, the values being 2.87, 2.84 and 3.01 for the three dietary treatments T1, T2 and T3, respectively. Cumulative feed conversion efficiency value of pigs maintained on dietary treatments T2 and T3 was found lower (P<0.01) than that of T1 at the second fortnight. The percentage digestibility of dry matter (P<0.01) and crude protein (P<0.05) were lower for the ration T3 than that of T1 and T2. Crude fibre digestibility of ration T2 was higher (P<0.01) than that of T1 and T3 whereas nitrogen free extract digestibility of rations T2 and T3 were higher (P<0.01) than that of ration T1. Ether extract digestibility was similar for the three rations T1, T2 and T3. Calcium availability was significantly lower (P<0.01) for ration T3 as compared to T1 and T2. Manganese availability was significantly lower (P<0.01) for T2 and T3 as compared to T1. Zinc availability was also significantly lower (P<0.01) for T3 as compared to T1 and T2. Availability of P, Mg and Cu were similar in the three dietary treatments. Plasma mineral concentration of Ca, P, Mg, Mn and Zn were similar while the plasma Cu concentration of pigs maintained under rations T2 and T3 were significantly lower (P<0.05) than that of T1. Total protein, blood urea nitrogen and HDL cholesterol of pigs maintained under the three dietary treatments were similar. There was a linear decrease (P<0.01) in plasma triglyceride values from T1 to T3 while the total cholesterol values increased (P<0.05) from T1 to T3. Carcass characteristics such as carcass weight, dressing percentage, carcass length, back fat thickness and loin eye area were not significantly influenced by the inclusion of dried tuna waste silage. The cost of feed per kg live weight gain of pigs in the three treatments T1, T2 and T3 were Rs. 50.84, 46.98 and 45.05, respectively. The dietary treatments T2 and T3 were economically efficient over T1. From the results of above study it can be concluded that the dried tuna waste silage can be used economically as a substitute for dried fish in the rations of growing-finishing pigs on protein basis, without any adverse effect on growth rate, feed conversion efficiency and carcass characteristics.
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