Effect of replacing soybean protein by taro leaf (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) protein on growth performance of exotic (Landrace × Yorkshire) and native (Moo Lath) Lao pigs

Abstract

The impact of replacing soybean crude protein (CP) with CP from ensiled taro leaves (ET) on growth performance, carcass traits, and organ weights in Landrace × Yorkshire (LY) and Moo Lath (ML) Lao pigs was studied. Twenty-four castrated male pigs, 12 of each breed, were allocated to the treatments according to a completely randomized 3 × 2 factorial (three levels of ET × two breeds) arrangement with four pigs per treatment. The pigs were kept in individual pens and were fed at 4 % dry matter of body weight for 105 days. The control diet (ET0) was formulated with soybean meal as the main CP source, and in the other two diets, soybean CP was replaced to 25 % (ET25) and 50 % (ET50), respectively, with CP from ensiled taro leaves. Calculated metabolizable energy intake decreased with increasing replacement of soybean CP in the diet, while dry matter intake (DMI), CP intake (CPI), average daily gain (ADG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were unaffected. Carcass weight, back fat thickness, and dressing percentage were unaffected by soybean CP replacement, while organ weights (except for spleen) increased (P < 0.001) when soybean CP was replaced by CP from ensiled taro leaves in the diet. LY pigs had higher (P < 0.001) DMI, CPI, and ADG and better (P < 0.001) FCR than ML pigs. LY pigs had higher carcass weight (P < 0.001), lower back fat thickness (P < 0.001), and higher organ weights (P < 0.05-0.001) than the ML pigs. In conclusion, taro leaf silage can replace up to 50 % of soybean CP in the diet of growing Lao LY and ML pigs without negative effects on performance and carcass traits.

Effects of Alternative Cassava and Taro Feed on the Carcass and Meat Quality of Fattening Pigs Reared under Ecuadorian Backyard Systems

“…The last was also found in our results, as the meat derived from pigs fed with cassava and taro showed a higher protein content and a lower degree of fatness. Coinciding with our results, the addition of cassava or taro causes the animal to accumulate less fat, which is evidenced by a decrease in the thickness of the subcutaneous and intramuscular fat in pigs [1,57].…”

Physiological parameter values for physiologically based pharmacokinetic models in food‐producing animals. Part I: Cattle and swine

“…Critser et al (1995); 12. Kaensombath and Lindberg (2012); 13 Pond et al (1988); 14. Koong et al (1982); 15.…”

Characterization of the natural products in cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta) using GC–MS

“…Cocoyam [Colocasia esculenta Linn (Araceae)] is a tropical perennial starchy plant that is native to Asia and the Pacific, and widely distributed in the tropical latitudes (Kaensombath & Lindberg 2012). …”