Abstract:
Twenty four young fattening Large white pigs at one month of age were selected from four litters born on same day, from same breed, reared under same environment, with same health conditions and mixed together and randomly divided into four groups (Experimental group A, B, C, and control) ensuring that each group contains three females and three males. The first three groups were fed with three treatments (Feed A, B, and C) of poultry offal meal (POM); 23%, 20%, and 18% respectively with other ingredients including maize, rice bran, wheat bran, and a premix of micro — macro ingredients and the control group with commercial pig starter for a period of nine weeks. The experimental feed rations (A, B, and C) were formulated ensuring that every feed ration provides the proper nutrient amounts recommended by NRC (2009) for the fatteners in tropical countries. Weekly body weight gaining was measured using a bridge scale (Farm MateTM, USA) along with the feeding program. Data were analyzed using non-parametric procedure (P<0.05). The study was conducted to develop a POM incorporated feed ration instead of the commercial pig starter for the young fattening pigs at 1 — 3 months of age and to determine the preferable inclusion of POM to formulate the least cost ration. The body weight gaining of all feeds were not significant (P>0.05) and the preferable and least cost ration with a 44.25% replacement profit of Rs.24.61 was the experimental ration B with POM inclusion of 20% when the cost of all feeds were compared.
Keywords: Young fattening pigs, poultry offal meal, feed ration, weekly body weight gain, feeding regime, least cost ration.
