Photosensitisation, growth performance, and carcass measurements of pigs fed diets containing commercially prepared lucerne leaf-protein concentrate

Abstract

Abstract White crossbred pigs of 25 kg were fed diets containing either 12.5 or 25% lucerne leaf-protein concentrate (LPC) for 42 days (Experiment 1). When exposed to sunlight signs of photosensitisation developed more rapidly and more severely in pigs fed the higher concentration of LPC. However, even in the most severe case reaction was mild (red-purple colouration of the ears with some exudation and curving of the rims) and did not appear to affect growth performance. In Experiment 2 pigs were fed barley-based diets at equal digestible energy intakes from 25 to 80 kg live weight. Diets contained similar concentrations of total lysine, and either lucerne LPC, meat and bone meal, mixtures of lucerne LPC and meat and bone meal, or a mixture of fish meal and meat and bone meal, as the protein supplement. Pigs grew at similar rates and with similar efficiencies of energy utilisation from 55 to 80 kg live weight. However, over the period of growth from 25 to 55 kg live weight, diets containing only lucerne L...