The value of palm kernel meal in finishing diets for pigs: 1. The effect of varying the proportion of protein contribution from blood meal and palm kernel meal on the performance and carcass quality of finishing pigs

Abstract

SUMMARYForty (20 barrows and 20 gilts) Large White and Landrace pigs allocated on the basis of litter origin, sex and initial weight to four treatment groups with mean initial weights of 50 kg were individually and semi-restrictedly fed to about 93 kg one of four diets containing 18·8, 28·5, 38·2 and 46·5% palm kernel meal (PKM) and 11·3, 8·4, 5·5 and 4·6% blood meal respectively such that the ratio of protein contribution to the diet from blood and palm kernel meals were 2·7:1, 1: 1·3, 1: 1·6 and 1: 2·30 for diets 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Growth performance was measured over the liveweight range of 50·93 kg at which latter weight the pigs were slaughtered for carcass evaluation. Live-weight gain and feed efficiency were highly significantly influenced by varying the levels of palm kernel meal and blood meal, the lowest level of palm kernel giving significantly the best rate and efficiency of gain. There was a tendency for carcass leanness to improve as the proportion of dietary protein supplied by palm kernel meal was increased, only the differences for lean meat percentage were however significant. Carcass cuts as percentage of total carcass did not appear to be influenced by the level of palm kernel meal in diets except for percentage fat cuts which decreased significantly (P < 0·05) as the dietary levels of palm kernel meal were increased.