Serum Biochemical Parameters, Apparent Nutrient Utilization and Economy of Production of Growing Pigs' Fed Cassava Based Fibrous Diets

Abstract

Twenty grower (Large white x Hampshire) pigs weighing 16.5 ± 0.8kg were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments. The diets were isonitrogenous with 20% crude protein and compounded such that maize was replaced by cassava flour and maize offal with supplementation of palm kernel cake
and cassava peel with metabolizable energy varying from 2373-2574.0 Kcal/kg.  At the end of the
experiment, significant differences (P<0.05) were observed among treatments in the levels of serum

Glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides, while no significant variation (P>0.05) was noted among treatments in protein and hemicellulose utilization. The best feed cost /kg live weight and projected profit were shown by diet 5 which had 10% each of dried cassava peel and palm kernel cake.

Key Words; Biochemical parameters, nutrient utilisation, growing pigs, fibrous diets, cassava