Effect of Palm Kernel Cake Replacement and Enzyme Supplementation on the Performance and Blood Chemistry of Finisher Pigs

Abstract

A feeding trial which lasted for twelve weeks was conducted to study the performance of finisher pigs fed five different levels of palm kernel cake replacement for maize (0%, 40%, 40%, 60%, 60%) in a maize-palm kernel cake based ration with or without enzyme supplementation. It was a completely randomized design experiment involving thirty finisher pigs of the Large White x Duroc cross breed. These animals were assigned to five dietary treatments resulting in six experimental animals per treatment with three replicates. Diet 1(control), contained maize without palm kernel cake and no enzyme, diet 2 contained 40% PKC with enzyme, diet 3 contained 40%PKC but without enzyme, diet 4 had 60%PKC with enzyme while diet 5 contained 60%PKC without enzyme. There were significant (P<0.05) differences in weight gain, average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio. Enzyme supplementation of PKC had no significant effect on the performance of the finisher pigs. There were significant (P<0.05) differences in the weights of the kidney and the heart. The kidney weights of finisher pigs fed treatment 1 was higher than those fed treatment 5, while the weight of the heart of finisher pigs was higher in treatment 1 and lowest in treatment 2. The white blood cell (WBC) was higher in finisher pigs fed dietary treatment 5 while those on dietary treatment 2 had the lowest. This study revealed that experimental diets containing up to 60% PKC with or without enzyme supplementation had no negative effect on the overall performance of the finisher pigs.