RESPONSE OF WEANER-GROWER PIGS TO DIETS CONTAINING SUN-DRIED MIXTURES OF BREWERS YEAST SLURRY WITH MAIZE GRAIN AND CASSAVA ROOT MEAL.

Abstract

Brewers yeast slurry (BYS) was mixed with ground maize grain (GMG) at 1:1 and 1:1.5 ratios W/W and with cassava root meal (CRM) at 1:1 ratio w/w and were sun-dried to moisture contents of 10% or less within 48 hr. Two separate feeding trials were conducted to determine performance of weaner-grower pigs fed diets containing the BYS mixtures. In the first trial, 3 diets were formulated; the maize-based control (GMG 1), and those containing mixtures of GMG and BYS at 1.5:1 (MYS2) and 1:1 (MYS3) ratios w/w. Three-way crossbred weaner pigs of Large White, Landrace and Hampshire breeds averaging 11.78kg liveweight and approximately 8 wk old were allocated in groups of 4 and fed each of the 3 test diets in two replicates, for 35 days. Performance data showed that ADG, ADF, Feed conversion ratio and feed cost/kg liveweight gain (N) were 0.43, 0.42, 0.40 kg; 1.03, 0.95, 0.96 kg; 2.59, 2.35, 2.39 and 17.28, 14.78, 14.11 for CMG1, MYS2, MYS3, respectively. In the second 35-day feeding trial, approximately 14 wk old three-way crossbred pigs similar to the above, and averaging 25.60 kg liveweight were fed diets based on maize grain (MSB), cassava root meal alone (CRM), or CRM mixed with BYS (CYS). ADG, ADF, FCR ratio and feed cost/kg liveweight gain (N) for MSB, CRM, CYS were 0.58, 0.56, 0.66 kg; 1.63, 1.60, 1.71 kg; 2.84, 3.07, 2.62 and 16.68, 13.42, 9.46, respectively. The inclusion of BYS in diets reduced their cost and improved feed utilization with consequent reduced cost of weaner-grower pig liveweight gain.