Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of Finisher Pigs Fed Enzyme Supplemented Palm Kernel Cake (PKC) Based Rations as Replacement for Maize

Abstract

The effect of enzyme supplemented palm kernel cake (PKC) based diets on the carcass characteristics and meat quality of finisher pigs was evaluated. Thirty finisher pigs of the large white x duroc cross breed were assigned to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design in an experiment which lasted for twelve weeks. The first diet, which was the control, was maize based without palm kernel cake and no enzyme supplementation (0%PKC - EZM). The second diet contained 40% PKC and with enzyme supplementation (40% PKC + EZM). The third diet contained 40%PKC but without enzyme supplementation (40%PKC - EZM). Present in the fourth diet were 60%PKC and with enzyme supplementation (60%PKC + EZM) while the fifth diet contained 60%PKC but without enzyme supplementation (6%PKC - EZM). Although, there were no significant differences in the average final weight of the finisher pigs, those on diets containing different levels of PKC supplementation appeared to have higher numerical final live weight values compared to those on the control diet (0%PKC without enzyme). The carcass length, expressed as a percentage of the dressed weight revealed no significant (P>0.05) differences in all the experimental animals on the different experimental diets including those on the control diet. There were significant (P 0.05) between finisher pigs fed treatment 2 and treatment 1 while there were significant (P 0.05) differences as regards tenderness among treatments 1, 2, 3 and 4. The findings of this study showed that, finisher pigs could tolerate Palm Kernel Cake (PKC) inclusion level of up to 60% (with or without enzyme supplementation) in replacement for maize without any negative effect on their performance and carcass characteristics, therefore PKC utilization in swine ration should be encouraged.