ABSTRACT
Plantain peels and palm oil mill slurry are discarded as waste from the processing industry, which accumulates and thereby constituting menace to the environment. The current rising cost of grains and concentrates used in the production of livestock feeds, has led to the alternative use of non-conventional feed stuffs such as ripe plantain peels and palm oil mill slurry coded “MUSARPOMS” for feeding weaners pig.
This study was initiated to investigate firstly, the proximate and some mineral compositions of ripe plantain peels and palm oil mill slurry from some Locations in Edo state Nigeria. The second experiment was to develop a new feed grade ingredient code name “MUSARPOMS” (ripe plantain peels and palm oil mill slurry combination); they are (MUSARPOMS 25 % MUSARPOMS 50 %, and MUSARPOMS 75%).Then, the third experiment was to use it as a replacement for maize in weaners pig diet. Seven experimental diets were formulated such that each grade of “MUSARPOMS” was used to replace maize in the diet of weaners pig at 0%, 10 and 20%.
Results showed that the ripe plantain peels collected from Auchi, Ekpoma and Benin gave crude protein (CP) of 10.50, 11.08 and 10.50 % respectively; EE of 24.03, 25.02 and 23.84% respectively, Ash of 11.93, 12.47 and 11.00 % and 30.73, 34.87 and 37.15 % for NFE respectively. The results also showed that CF and NFE were significantly (P<0.05) different with regard to Locations as the highest value 10.66 % were obtained from Benin City, which significantly (P<0.05) differ from Ekpoma (7.99 %) and close to the value 9.59 % recorded for Auchi. The chemical composition of the palm oil slurry (POMS) from OKOMU, PRESCO, UDO and Benin City revealed crude protein (CP) values of 2.62, 2.04, 3.79 and 3.21 % respectively, EE of 15.76, 17.59, 12.50 and 17.62 % respectively. The average initial weight, average live weight, total weight gained and daily weight gained indicated no significant (P > 0.05) differences in growing pigs on all the Treatments. The results of the full blood count revealed that the white blood cells and its differentials showed no significant (P<0.05) differences except Monocyte. However, Treatment 4 recorded the highest Packed Cell Volume (PCV) 38.98 % while the lowest PCV was recorded for pigs on Treatment 2 with a value of 32.73%. The serum protein and glucose for combined sex shows no significance (P>0.05) differences in Globulin, Total protein and Glucose. Albumin content had its highest value (5.15 g/dL) in Treatment 5 and least value (4.25 g/dL) in Treatment 4 which differed significantly (P<0.05) from each other. From this study, ripe plantain peels and palm oil mill slurry developed a non- conventional feed stuff graded MUSARPOMS 25 %, 50 % and 75 % of low feed cost, considered as energy feed favourable as replacement for maize at 10 and 20 % in weaner pig diets.
