ABSTRACT

 A total of twenty four (24) crossbred (landrace xlarge white) weaned pigs of average weight 12.26 ± 0.54kg were randomly assigned to four (4) treatment diets in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) experiment, with six pigs per treatment and each replicated in to three. Four diets were formulated with Diet 1 (control) being maize-based, while in diet 2-4 cassava products replaced 50% of maize; with diet 2 containing 27% cassava root meal (CRM) and 3% cassava foliage meal (CFM)), diet 3 (24% cassava root meal and 6% cassava foliage meal), diet 4 (21% cassava root meal and 9% cassava foliage meal). The diets and the cassava products (CRM and CFM) were chemically analyzed. Data were collected on weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, carcass yield, relative weight of internal organ, haematological and serum chemistry and cost benefits. Crude fibre, crude protein and HCN were higher in diets 3 and 4, crude fibre and protein, ether extract and HCN content were higher in CFM than in CRM. Pigs fed the control diets (1) consumed more feed/day (1.3kg) than those on diets 2, 3 and 4 (1.28, 1.28 and 1.23kg) dressing percentage were similar (P>0.05) in the pigs fed diets 1 and 4, and were 59.67 and 59.59%, respectively. Abdominal fat was higher in pigs fed diet 1 and 2 than those on diets 3 and 4. Back fat was higher in the pigs fed diet 1 than those on diets 2-4. The relative weight of the intestine was higher in the diet 4 group than on diet 1 group, while the values of heart and liver were similar (P>0.05) in the pigs fed diets 1 and 4. Packed cell volume (PCV), Red blood cell (RBC), MCH were similar in pigs fed diets 1 and 4; whereas RBC and MCHC were higher in pigs fed diet 1 than those on diet 4. White blood differentials did not differ in pigs fed the 4 diets. Serum urea, creatinine, total protein, glucose, albumin, cholesterol, AST, ALT and thiocynate content were higher in pigs fed diets 4 than those fed diet 1, while triglyceride content was higher in diet 1 than the diet 4 group. Cost/kg feed and cost/kg weight gain were lower with higher CFM in diets. The diet 4 also recorded higher gross margin. Feeding pigs with cassava products (CRM and CFM) at ratio 2.33 to 1 is recommended as an economical option that can replace 50% maize in weaned pig's diets.