Nutritional evaluation of forage (Pannicum maximum) as feed resources on the haematological parameters of pigs

Abstract

A feeding trial was conducted with a total of 30 pigs to evaluate the potential of fresh Pannicum maximum forage on pigs. The trial lasted for 63 days. Five diets were formulated which contained 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% levels of the fresh grass forage. Each diet formed a treatment which was offered to the pigs. Each treatment was replicate, arranged in Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The pigs were feed 4% of their body weight and water was offered ad-libitum. The blood composition of pig in terms of packed cell volume, haemoglobin, white blood cell, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration significantly (P<0.05) improved even with the inclusion of fresh grass forage of 20%, while mean corpuscular volume did not significantly (P>0.05) differ from the control which contained 0% forage. It is therefore concluded that fresh Pannicum maximum forage could be used in pig ration at 25%inclusion level without any effect on the animal.