Philippine E-Journals

Digestibility and Feeding Value of Cattle Rumen Contents in Swine Diets

Bernardo S. Umaguing

Discipline: Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science

 

Abstract:

The potential of cattle rumen contents (CRC) as swine feed was investigated. Dry matter (DM) recovery of CRC contents was 25%. CRC contained a fairly high crude fiber (2.48%) and moderately high nitrogen-free extract (53.99%) and crude protein (15.41%). The ether extract digestion coefficient (82.48%) was high. The CP and NFE were moderately digestible with digestion coefficients of 65.17% and 46.57%, respectively. CF digestibility was low (38.68%). FCR did not significantly vary during the starting and finishing stages, but significantly varied during the growing stage. Significant variations on PER were noted during the growing stage but not during the starting and finishing stages. Fifteen (15) weanling pigs were randomly allotted to five treatment diets, containing 0, 10, 12, and 14% CRC and a commercial diet. Pigs fed commercial diet had the highest dressing percentage of 65.12. Pigs fed control diet had the lowest dressing percentage of 54.57. Pigs given varying levels of CRC have comparable dressing percentages, which was better than the dressing percentage of zero CRC diet-fed ones. However, these were inferior to pigs fed with commercial swine feed. Pigs given 14% CRC had significantly thinner backfat thickness than pigs in Diets I and V. Pigs fed with 14% CRC incurred the lowest CFG during the growing and finishing stages. Highest returns above feed cost (RAFC) was realized from pigs fed with 0% CRC. Lowest RAFC was realized from pigs fed with commercial swine feed.