Effect of Feeding Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) Leaves on the Growth Performances and Carcass Characters of Crossbred Barrows (Landrace X Desi)

Abstract

The present study was designed to analyse the effect of in locally available culled cauliflower leaves with standard conventional ration growth, carcass quality and behaviour along with its economical utility in pig rearing. So, 18 crossbred of 5 to 6 months of age (Landrace x desi) barrows were selected randomly and divided into three groups T₀ (control) fed control diet without cauliflower leaves, T₁ (treatment 1) cauliflower leaves fed @ 10% of DM with ad lib concentrate and T₂ (treatment 2)15% of DM of cauliflower leaves with ad lib concentrate were offered. Each group consists of six animals and each group consists of three unit, in each unit two animal are kept as group for the experiment trial. The parameters with respective to growth, carcass, and economy were recorded as per standard procedures. Results revealed that the mean average daily weight gain (ADG) in the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd fortnight was significantly (P<0.05) varied between groups. Fortnightly body measurements of various attributes viz. body length, body height, heart girth and flank to flank length were statistically non-significant (P<0.05) among all the treatment groups throughout the observational period. Carcass weight (without head) was non-significant (P<0.05) among the groups. A non-significant (P<0.05) difference was observed in dressing % between the groups. Carcass length did not show any significant difference (P<0.05) among treatments. Basing on these findings we can conclude that locally available cost effective and abundant available cauliflower leaves can be fed for replacing the concentrate @ 15% DM of the concentrate, which reduced the rearing cost without causing any adverse effect on growth rate and carcass traits.