Evaluation of Lucerne Forage and Agro-Industrial by Products in Swine

Twenty four crossbred (Tamworth x desi) growing piglets (2–3 m age) were divided randomly into 3 groups of 8 each. Piglets of group T₁ (control) were fed conventional concentrate ration. Group T was fed with green lucerne in addition to T₁, whereas, T₃ was fed concentrate containing broken rice, arhar chuni, soybean grains, maize, wheat bran and groundnut cake. Feed consumption was significantly higher in T₂ followed by T₃ and T₁. However, feed conversion efficiency was significantly superior in T than that of T₂ but T₁ did not differ significantly from either of them. Similarly, feed cost/kg gain was found to be lowest in T₃ followed by T₂ and T₁. Feed cost/kg gain decreased by 14% on inclusion of lucerne forage and 24% by inclusion of agro-industrial byproducts. The average digestibility co-efficient of DM, EE, CF and OM did not vary significantly among the groups, but CP and NFE digestibility was found to be significantly superior in T followed by T, and T. The DCP value was significantly superior in T₂ followed by T₃ and T₁ On the contrary D£ and ME values were significantly better in T₃ when compared with T₂ and T₁, the difference between later two being non-significant.