Nutritional studies in native, Thai Kadon pigs

Abstract

In the North-East of Thailand native, so-called Kadon pigs are typically kept on small-holder farms. Kadon pig is believed to be on the edge of extinction and in 2003 it was designated as a protected species of production animals. The main objective of this thesis was to study various nutritional aspects of Kadon pigs. Chapter 1, providing quantitative information on growth performance, organ weights, carcass composition and fatty acid profiles in the meat of female and male Kadon pigs. Carcass weight was about 65% of slaughter weight. Average back fat thickness tended to be higher in females than in males. Macronutrient digestibility was determined in Kadon pigs fed diets containing either ground corn, rice bran, broken rice or cassava chips (Chapter 2). The diet with broken rice induced the highest digestibilities for carbohydrates, protein and energy, but also had the highest ingredients costs. The data in Chapter 4 show that apparent calcium and phosphorus absorption, when expressed as a percentage of intake, was significantly higher in the pigs fed the diet with broken rice. Fistulated Kadon pigs were used to measure both ileal and fecal digestibility of macronutrients (Chapter 5). The fecal digestibilities of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, carbohydrates and crude fiber were greater than the ileal digestibility of these macronutrients. The faecal digestibility of crude fat was lower than its ileal digestibility. The ileal digestibilties of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, crude fat and carbohydrates were all significantly higher for the diet containing broken rice instead of cassava chips. For the growing Kadon pig the protein requirement was not known. Chapter 6 describes a study in which diets with different protein levels were formulated and the effects on growth, protein digestibility and nitrogen utilization were measured. Average daily gain and feed conversion ratio in the pigs fed the diet with 20% crude protein were better than those in the pigs fed the diet with 14% of crude protein in the diet. Apparent fecal protein digestibility was increased with increasing protein intake. As based on the feed cost per kg of body-weight gain, the diet containing 18 % protein was found to be most economical.