Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151–921, Republic of Korea
1Division of Applied Entomology, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Jeollabukdo, 55365, South Korea
A total of 120 weanling pigs in study 1 (7.05±1.15 kg) and study 2 (6.34 kg±0.44 kg) were used in two separate 49 d studies to investigate the effect of mulberry leaf power on growth performance, fecal microflora population, physiochemical characteristics, odorous compounds and hematological profile. In study 1, dietary treatments were, a basal diet (negative control, NC), a basal diet supplemented with 0.01% apramycin (positive control, PC), mulberry leaf powder at 1 (ML-1) and 2% (ML–2). Pigs fed on ML1 had a comparable gain: feed (G: F) to those fed on PC and greater G: F than those fed the on NC (P<0.05) during study 1. In study 2, dietary treatments were NC, PC, NC+ML 0.5% and NC+ML 1%. During phase 1 (1 to 24 d) ADG of pigs fed the ML-0.5 diet was comparable to those fed the PC diet and greater than those fed the NC diet (P<0.05). During phase 2 (25 to 49 d) G: F of pigs fed the ML-0.5 and ML-1 diet was greater than those fed the NC and PC diet (P<0.05). MCV concentration in pigs fed the ML-0.5 was greater than those fed the NC and PC diet (P<0.05). In conclusion, mulberry leaf powder at 1% could play as an alternative to antibiotic feed supplement with better G: F in nursery pigs.
Mulberry leaf, Nursery pig, Performance, Phytogenic feed
