Growth performance, carcass and organ characteristics of grower pigs fed varying levels of tigernut (Cyperus esculentus) seed meal

Abstract

Eight weeks feeding trial involving 20 Large White × Landrace cross was carried out to evaluate the effect of tigernut meal based diets on the growth performance, carcass and organ characteristics of growing pigs. Five experimental diets were formulated to incorporate tigernut meal as maize substitute at 0%, 12%, 24%, 36% and 48% for T₁, T₂, T₃, T₄ and T₅ respectively. Pigs were allotted to these five treatment diets with four pigs per treatment in a completely randomized design (CRD). Results of performance indices revealed that pigs on treatment two diet (12% tigernut) had the best final body weight, daily weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio. Carcass characteristics of pigs showed significant (p<0.05) differences in live weight, carcass weight, back fat, abdominal fat and carcass length while there were no significant differences (P>0.05) in cut parts (ham, hand and shoulder, hind leg and trotters). Organ indices decreased as the level of tigernut increased in the diet. In conclusion, incorporating tigernut meal at 12% and 48% levels in growing pigs diet resulted in better performance and carcass values suggesting that tigernut could be used in pig’s diet without any deleterious effect on these production functions.

Keywords: Grower pigs. Growth performance. Carcass characteristics. Tigernut