Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur 680 651, India
*Reprint request: Dr. A.D. Mercy, Tel.: +91–487-2370344 (Extn. 234) Fax: 91–487-2370019 E-mail: drmercyad@yahoo.com
An investigation was carried out to study the effect of dried cuttle fish waste silage in the rations of growing and finishing pigs on growth performance and economics of gain. Dried cuttle fish waste silage was used to replace dried fish on protein basis at 0, 50 and 100 per cent, in isocaloric and isonitrogenic grower and finisher rations as dietary treatment T1, T2 and T3, respectively. Average daily gain and feed efficiency (kg feed/kg weight gain) of pigs were 370.31±13.59, 353.15±18.50 and 364.90±15.99 g and 4.16±0.16, 4.28±0.15 and 4.26±0.13 for dietary treatments T1, T2 and T3, respectively, and they did not differ significantly between dietary treatments. The cost of feed per kg live weight gain was Rs. 35.15±1.36, 34.40±1.21 and 32.25±1.03 for treatments T1, T2 and T3, respectively. It could be concluded that dried cuttle fish waste silage can be used as an economical substitute for dried fish in the rations of growing and finishing pigs.
Crossbred pigs, Dried cuttle fish waste silage, Growth performance, Economics
