Evaluation of bovine rumen waste supplemented with nutrase xyla as a replacement for maize in pig weaner diets

Abstract

Thirty-six weeks old male weaner pigs were used in this study to assess the replacement value of rumen content supplemented with nutrase xyla (enzyme) in replacement for maize in the diets of weaner pigs. There were five dietary treatments such that the test ingredient which is rumen content (RC) was supplemented with nutrase xyla and fed to replace 0,12.5, 25, 37.5 and 50% of dietary maize (40%). There was a decrease (p<0.05) in the final body weight of the experimental pigs as the level of rumen content supplemented with nutrase xyla (RC-NX) increased in their diets. The pigs on the control diet had comparable (p>0.05) fed intake values with the pigs fed on the 50% RC-NX maize replacement diet and these were lower (p<0.05) than the feed intake on other diets. The weight gain values decreased (p<0.05) with the increase in the level of RC-NX maize replacement in their diets. The feed to gain ratio were comparable for all diets except for the 37.5% RC-NX maize replacement diet that was higher (p<0.05).