Varying Levels of Maize Bran in Diets on the Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Starter-Grower Pigs

Abstract

A 17-week study was conducted to evaluate the effects of varying levels of maize bran in the diet on growth performance and carcass characteristics of starter-grower pigs. Nine 8-week-old Large White entire male pigs of initial weight of 14.4 kg were used in the study. The pigs were randomly allotted in equal numbers to three dietary treatments containing 0, 100 and 200 g maize bran kg-1, with maize, fishmeal and soyabean meal as major ingredients. The diets were formulated to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous. The pigs had free access to feed and water. The concentration of maize bran in the diet had no significant effect on feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion efficiency and the various carcass parameters measured. There was, however, a decrease in the cost of feed and feed cost kg'1 live weight gain with increasing levels of maize bran. The results indicate that maize bran may be included in pig starter diets up to 209 g kg-1 without causing adverse effects on pig performance.