Parameters of digestion and N metabolism in Mong Cai piglets having free access to sugar cane juice and soya bean meal

Abstract

The basal diet fed to "local" Mong Cai pigs (14-21 kg live weight) consisted of fresh sugar cane juice and four levels of soya bean meal estimated to provide protein levels of of 4, 8, 12 and 16% in dry matter. The quantities of cane juice and soya bean meal were adjusted according to live weight, based on an anticipated total intake of dry matter of 4.4% of live weight. The experimental design was a 4*4 Latin square with periods of 8 days, four for adaptation and 4 for collection of faeces and urine. The piglets were adapted to the soya bean meal for 2 weeks before being allocated to the treatments. There was an almost linear response in nitrogen retention as the offer level of soya bean meal was increased. This was in marked contrast with the pig's behaviour as most of them refused to eat more than the equivalent of 10 g N per day in the form of soya bean meal.. Based on these observations, and the recorded data, it is proposed that a level of about 50 g/day of apparently digestible protein is adequate for growing Mong Cai pigs in the weight range of 10-20 kg.