Ensiled and Dry Cassava Leaves, and Sweet Potato Vines as a Protein Source in Diets for Growing Vietnamese Large White×Mong Cai Pigs

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of replacing 70% of the protein from fish meal by protein from ensiled or dry cassava leaves and sweet potato vines on the performance and carcass characters of growing F1 (Large White?Mong Cai) pigs in Central Vietnam. Twenty-five crossbred pigs (Large White?Mong Cai) with an initial weight of 19.7 kg (SD = 0.84) were allocated randomly to five treatment groups with 5 animals per group (3 males and 2 females). Pigs were kept individually in pens (2.0? 0.8 m) and fed one of five diets over 90 days. The control diet was formulated with fish meal (FM) as the protein source while the other four diets were formulated by replacing 70% of fish meal protein by protein from ensiled cassava leaves (ECL), dry cassava leaves (DCL), dry sweet potato vines (DSPV) or ensiled sweet potato vines (ESPV). Animals were fed their diets at 4% of BW. Results showed that final BW, ADG, DMI and feed conversion ratio (FCR) among the experimental treatments were not significantly different (p>0.05). ECL or DCL and ESPV reduced feed cost per unit gain by 8-17.5% compared to the fish meal diet. There were no significant differences in carcass characters among the diets (p>0.05). Lean meat percentages and protein deposition ranged 41.5-45.8% and 40.2-52.9 g/d, respectively. Using ensiled or dry cassava leaves and sweet potato vine can replace at least 70% of the protein from fish meal (or 35% of total diet CP) without significant effects on performance and carcass traits of growing (20-65 kg) pigs. Including cassava leaves and sweet potato vines could improve feed cost and therefore has economic benefits.