Studies on the Use of Colocasia esculenta (Taro Cocoyam) in the Diets of Weaned Pigs

ISSN： 0049-4747

Source： Tropical Animal Health and Production, Vol.34, Iss.3, 2002-05, pp. : 241-247

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Abstract

Sixty weanling Large White×Duroc pigs were allocated to five groups of 12 pigs per group and fed on one of five diets. The five diets comprised 0, 50% and 100% unboiled, sun-dried taro cocoyam cormels (Colocasia esculenta) and 50% and 100% boiled, sun-dried taro cocoyam cormels as replacements for maize. The levels of some antinutritional factors were also determined in both boiled and unboiled, sun-dried taro cocoyam. Boiling reduced (p<0.05) the="" amounts="" of="" the="" antinutritional="" factors="" in="" the="" taro="" cocoyam="" cormels.="" there="" were="" no="" significant="" differences="" (p="">0.05) in feed intake, weight gain or feed efficiency between the diets containing boiled taro cocoyam cormels. However, for unboiled, sun-dried taro cocoyam cormels, there were significant differences (p<0.05) in="" weight="" gain="" and="" feed="" efficiency,="" these="" being="" depressed="" at="" more="" than="" 50%="" replacement="" of="" maize.="" this="" may="" be="" due="" to="" the="" relatively="" high="" amounts="" of="" antinutritional="" factors="" in="" the="" unboiled,="" sun-dried="" taro="" cormels.="" boiled="" taro="" cocoyam="" cormels="" were="" comparable="" to="" maize="" as="" an="" energy="" source="" in="" the="" diets="" of="" weanling="" pigs.="">