J. Sci. Agri. Technol. (2023) Vol. 4 (1): 20 – 26
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14456/jsat.2023.4
Abstract
The study intended to compare the growth performance and carcass quality of black pigs fed four different supplements of brewed ground corn (BGC) as an appetizer before feeding commercial feed. The breeding program was assigned using crossing inbred lines of L1 male to L1, L2, and L3 female to generate L1L1, L1L2, and L1L3 piglets, respectively. Then, healthy weaning piglets (n = 8 of each cross-inbred line) with nearly the same body weight were randomly allocated to the pen for two piglets each (one male and one female each). The BGC was given daily as an appetizer at 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 percent of body weight. Pigs were raised in twelve experimental pens of 2 x 3 meters in size and fed with a commercial diet to meet nutritional requirements according to their age up to 16 weeks. The analysis of variance was used to evaluate the datasets, and the means were compared using Duncan’s new multiple-range test. Data indicated that pigs had substantially higher body weight gain but lower feed conversion and feed cost per gain than L1L1 and L1L3. Carcass percentage and some characteristics such as pH, temperature, pork color, and drip loss were not substantially different between the three black pig cross-inbred lines (P>0.05). The LSQ index and back fat thickness showed that three sets of black pigs had moderate lean and fat percentages. The BGC supplementation may increase feed intake. On the other hand, it has no discernible effect on growth rate, carcass characteristics, or quality. The L1L3 black pig demonstrated excellent growth efficiency, decent quality pork, and carcass percentage. However, BGC supplementation has no discernible effect on growth rate, carcass characteristics, or quality. The L1L3 black pig demonstrated great efficiency of growth performance, acceptable quality pork, and carcass percentage. The L1L3 can be the priority option and can be implied for improving the pig output of small farmers in Nan Province. The BGC supplementation at the rate of 1.0 percent of body weight/day may increase the feed intake while not affecting black pig growth or carcass.
Keywords: black pigs, small farm, growth performance, carcass characteristics
Received: November 6, 2022. Revised: April 7, 2023. Accepted: May 1, 2023.
