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Livestock-Based Farming Systems, Renewable Resources and the Environment |
Eighteen Van pa sows (3rd -5 parity and live weight about 50 -60 kg) was selected to carry out the on station, allocated randomly into three groups, with each group consisting of 6 pigs. The pigs were kept individually in concrete floor pens. All Van Pa sows in each group were mated by with the semen of the same purebred Van Pa boar. The trial was designed as complete randomized block with 3 treatments and 6 replicates in which the protein source was supplied from a mixture of 50 % ensiled taro foliage (ETS) and 50 % ensiled sweet potato vines (ESPV) in DM and fish meal. Treatment FM (control diet): Basal diet contains rice bran, cassava root meal, fish meal. Treatment T50: Basal diet with 50 % of protein from fish meal replaced by protein from a mixture of ensiled taro foliage and sweet potato vines. Treatment T100: Basal diet with 100 % of protein from fish meal replaced by protein from a mixture of ensiled taro foliage and sweet potato vines. The feed allowance was fixed at 2.5 % of body weight in pregnancy and ad libitum in lactation. Protein levels was 12 % in DM in the diets for pregnancy and 13 % for lactation.
The results showed that there were no significant differences in DM, CP intake among treatments for two period pregnancy and lactation period of Van Pa sows (P>0.05). However, total CF intake significant increased with increased amount of a mixture of ensiled taro foliage and sweet potato vines in diet of Vanpa sows (P<0.001). The results also showed that no significant dietary treatment effects were found for any of piglet performance at birth. The total mean number of piglets born per litter was 6.33, 7.33 and 6.5 in treatments FM, T50 and T100, respectively (P>0.05). Similar, there were no significant differences in total litter size, total litter weight and percentage mortality among treatments at weaning. The total mean number of piglets per litter at weaning was 5.50, 5.83 and 5.83 in FM, T50 and T100, respectively (P>0.05). There were significant differences in mean piglet live weight at 21 days and at weaning, the mean piglet live weight were decreased with increased amount of a mixture of ensiled taro foliage and sweet potato vines in diet of Vanpa sows (P<0.001). No significant dietary treatment effects were found for any of the reproductive traits of Van pa sows.
It is concluded that a mixture of ensiled taro foliage and sweet potato vines in diet of Vanpa sows in pregnancy and lactation without affecting reproduction criteria, measured as numbers of live piglets born and weaned, and the interval from weaning to estrus. Using protein from a mixture of ensiled taro foliage and sweet potato vines in diet of Vanpa sows reduced feed cost/kg piglet by 5- 8.4 %.