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Livestock-Based Farming Systems, Renewable Resources and the Environment |
From November 2009 to June 2010, two experiments have been done in Vinh Phu commune, Phu Vang district and Thua Thien Hue province.
Experiment 1:
Ensiling taro foliage and sweet potato vines.
ETS: Ensiled taro leaf + petiole in ratios as found in the plant
ESP-TS: Ensiled Taro leaf + petiole with sweet potato vines: Equal proportions
of taro foliage and sweet potato vines (50 : 50) (in
DM).
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No additive for ensiling.
pH of the ensiled biomass was reduced very quickly (Table 1).
| Table 1. pH changing during ensiling | |||||
| 0 day | 7 days | 14 days | 21 days | 28 days | |
| Ensiled of taro leaves + petioles (ETS) | 5.92±0.05 | 4.26± 0.03 | 3.72± 0.01 | 3.09± 0.05 | 2.79± 0.02 |
| Ensiled taro leaves + petioles + sweet potato vines (ESP-TS) | 5.98± 0.03 | 4.21± 0.03 | 3.75± 0.02 | 3.16± 0.02 | 2.79± 0.02 |
| P | 0.274 | 0.163 | 0.140 | 0.289 | 0.800 |
Experimental 2: Selected 16 the local MC sows and divided into 4 treatments (4 MC sows/ treatment)
ETS: 50 % the ensiled taro foliage and 50% rice bran (in DM).
ESP-TS: 50 % mixed ensiled Taro foliage with Sweet potato vines and 50 % rice bran (in DM).
ETSD: 47.5 % the ensiled Taro foliage + 47.5% rice bran + 5% Distiller wastes (in DM).
ESP-TSD: 47.5 % ensiled Taro foliage with Sweet potato vines and 47.5 % rice bran + 5% Distiller wastes (in DM).
There were no differences among the treatments in sow performance (Table 2)
| Table 2. Sow reproductive performance | ||||||
| Parameters | units | ETS | ESP-TS | ETSD | ESP-TSD | P |
| Litter size at birth | piglet | 12.75±0.25 | 13.25±0.25 | 12.25±0.48 | 12.00±0.58 | 0.203 |
| Born alive | Piglet/litt | 12.25±0.25 | 12.50±0.29 | 10.75±0.48 | 10.75±0.48 | 0.010 |
| Ratio born alive | % | 96.15±2.22 | 94.37±1.88 | 87.79±2.24 | 89.69±1.72 | 0.042 |
| Birth weight | Kg/piglet | 0.651±0.01 | 0.654±0.02 | 0.678±0.01 | 0.679±0.01 | 0.273 |
| Total LW at 21 days | Kg/ litter | 26.78±0.58 | 27.88±0.43 | 26.55±0.85 | 26.63±0.55 | 0.841 |
| Milk production | Kg/ day | 2.82±0.0.08 | 2.93±0.09 | 2.85±0.09 | 2.83±0.09 | 0.806 |
| Litter size at weaning | piglet | 10.75± 0.25 | 11.25± 0.25 | 10.00 ±0.41 | 10.00± 0.00 | 0.016 |
| Weaning rate | % | 87.82±2.24 | 90.06±1.82 | 93.14±2.31 | 93.56±4.03 | 0.433 |
| Weaning weight | Kg | 6.93±0.22 | 6.84±0.13 | 7.18±0.07 | 7.20±0.16 | 0.280 |
| Weaning age | days | 44.25 ±0.75 | 44.25± 0.75 | 44.75± 0.25 | 44.75± 0.25 | 0.848 |
| FCR | Kg feed | 4.66±0.16 | 4.49±0.09 | 4.57±0.11 | 4.71±0.10 | 0.567 |
| Time for re-mating | days | 7.50±0.65 | 7.75±0.85 | 7.50±0.50 | 8.00±0.58 | 0.939 |
| Reproductive cycle | days | 166.25±0.48 | 166.25±0.48 | 166.00±0.22 | 166.00 ±1.22 | 0.995 |
| Number litter/ year | litters | 2.20±0.00 | 2.20±0.01 | 2.20±0.01 | 2.19±0.01 | 0.624 |
| Income from sold piglet | millions vnd | 2.38 ±0.08 | 2.41±0.04 | 2.46±0.08 | 2.30±0.05 | 0.452 |
| Total cost | millions | 1.77±0.01 | 1.69±0.02 | 1.79±0.02 | 1.69±0.02 | 0.007 |
| Benefit | millions | 0.62± 0.08 | 0.72 ±0.04 | 0.67 ±0.06 | 0.61 ±0.05 | 0.551 |
It is concluded that Mong Cai sows will reproduce efficiently on local feed resources in the form of by-products from crop production