Effect of Supplementation of Animal Feed with Dried Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Peels, and Stems of Vernonia amydalina and Pennisetum purpereum on Some Biochemical Parameters in Pigs

Abstract

This study examined the effects of pig feed supplementation with dried cassava peels, Vernonia amydalina and Pennisetum purpereum stems, which are readily available, on pigs’ body weights and some biochemical parameters. Twelve large White x Dunroc weaner pigs with an average body weight of 5.85±0.70 kg were used for the study. The pigs were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups and were fed with formulated experimental diet twice daily for 21 days. In addition, pigs in groups 2, 3 and 4 received dried V. amydalina stems, cassava peels, and P. purpurem stems ad libitum, respectively, as food supplement in the afternoon daily. At the end of the feeding trial, the animals were weighed and bled. Serum obtained from the blood samples was used for biochemical analysis. Pigs fed only the formulated diet had the lowest weight gain (0.47±0.29 kg) while those that
received cassava peels as food supplement had the highest weight gain (1.67±0.82 kg). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in serum creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values in the pigs, but serum glucose, cholesterol, albumin, calcium, urea and urea nitrogen differed significantly (P<0.05) among the experimental groups. The results indicate that pig feed supplementation using dried cassava peels, V. amydalina and P. purpereum stems can
provide growing pigs with additional nutrients. They also show that pig feed supplementation with dried cassava peels, V. amydalina stem and P. purpereum can increase the weight of growing pigs on the short term without any toxic effects to the liver and kidney.