Abstract 59

Rao,-DS; Prasad,-JR; Krishnamacharlu,-E; Krishna,-N

AICRP on Pigs, College of Veterinary Science, Tirupati 517 502, India.

Indian-Journal-of-Animal-Nutrition. 1989, 6: 3, 234-239; 15 ref.

For 90 days 24 castrated native pigs, 20.84 ñ 0.04 kg, were given diets containing maize grain replaced by 0, 10, 20 or 30% groundnut husks (w/w) (groups D1, D2, D3 and D4, respectively). Dietary fibre content increased linearly with increasing level of groundnut husks but did not influence average daily gain, feed intake or feed:gain ratio among groups. There were no differences in average dressing percentage, carcass length, loin eye area, carcass lean cuts (%) and meat:bone ratio between groups. Average back fat thickness was lower (P < 0.01) in D3 and D4 than in D1. Diet D1 had higher (P < 0.01) DM, crude protein, ether extract and nitrogen-free extract digestibilities than D2 and D4. Crude fibre digestibility was higher (P < 0.01) in D4 than D2 or D3. Nitrogen retention was higher (P < 0.01) in D1 than other diets. Results indicated that 20-30% groundnut husks could be included in the diets of native pigs replacing maize grain.