Effect of Jaggery Filter Cake Supplementation on Growth Performance of Large White Yorkshire Grower Pigs

Abstract

Jaggery filter cake (JFC) is byproduct obtained while making jaggery. Keeping the importance of Jaggery filter cake as unconventional feed in economic pig feeding, the study was conducted on growth performance of grower Large White Yorkshire pigs fed on different levels of Jaggery filter cake. Thirty piglets (3 ½ month old) were divided into 5 dietary treatment groups, viz. group I: concentrate only, group II: concentrate +250 g JFC, group III: concentrate +500 g JFC, group IV: concentrate +750 g JFC and group V: ad lib. JFC only. Jaggery filter cake supplementation was increased in the ratio of 50:100:150 g in group II, III, IV respectively every fortnight during growing stage. There was no significant difference in overall DM intake between groups. During 1^st week the daily DM intake in all the groups irrespective of treatments was almost similar (non-significant). However, from 2^nd week onwards up to 4^th week the daily DM intake was found to be significantly (P<0.01) highest in group V. The overall concentrate intake did not differ significantly between groups. Body weight of group IV showed highest followed by group II, III and I whereas group V showed lowest body weight gain. Body weight from 4^th week onwards till end of the experiment group V showed a highly significant (P<0.01) difference from rest of the groups. Whereas, group I, II, III and IV did not revealed any significant difference except for 8^thweek during which group IV showed a significant (P<0.01) difference in body weight from group I and group V. During growing stage supplementation of JFC along with concentrate increased the weight gain, whereas, sole feeding of JFC greatly reduced it. During entire growing stage group V revealed a significantly (P<0.01) lowest weight gain than all other groups except for 2^nd week when there was no significant difference between treatment groups. Supplementation of JFC along with concentrate decreased the FCR, whereas sole feeding of JFC greatly increased it. However, FCR was not much different between different treatment groups during entire experiment except 3^rd week, where there was a significant (P<0.01) decrease in FCR in group II and group IV from group I. Decreased FCR in JFC supplemented group indicates efficient utilization of nutrients.  Moreover, in group V, the FCR was found to be significantly (P<0.01) highest with respect to all other treatment’s groups. Thus, jaggery filter cake can be supplemented with concentrate as an ideal unconventional feed without any deleterious effects in the sugarcane belt.