Abstract:
The study which lasted for thirteen months was undertaken to evaluate Moringa oleifera leaf meal
(MOLM) as feed ingredient on the growth, reproduction, milk quality, blood indices and carcass
characteristics of pigs. The specific objectives were to determine the impact of Moringa oleifera
leaf meal fed at varying levels (0%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, and 12%) on the growth rate, reproductive
performance, milk quality, haematological and biochemical indices and carcass characteristics of
pigs. The study was carried out at the Piggery Section of the Department of Animal Science
Education, University of Education, Winneba, Mampong-Ashanti Campus, Ghana from 5th April,
2014 to 17th April, 2015. A total of twenty four (24) large white weaner pigs comprising twenty
females and four males which were 10-11 weeks of age and an average body weight of 11 kg were
used for the experiment. The females were randomly grouped into five treatments with each animal
constituting a replicate in a randomized complete design and each treatment had four replicates
(animals). The four young boars were used to cross the gilts when they were on heat. The control
diet contained no moringa leaf meal (0%), while Diets 2, 3, 4 and 5 contained moringa leaf meal
at the rate of 5, 7.5, 10 and 12%, respectively. Data collected were subjected to the analysis of
variance procedure of Statistical Analysis Systems (SAS 2010). The results showed that there were
no significant differences (P>0.05) in initial body weight, final body weight, total weight gain and
daily growth rate among treatment means. However, daily feed intake, total feed intake and feed
conversion efficiency showed significant (P<0.05) difference among treatments with feed
conversion efficiency means being 0.25, 0.25, 0.26, 0.24 and 0.23, for 0, 5, 7.5, 10 and 12%
MOLM respectively. The biochemistry blood parameters, cholesterol and albumen were
significantly (P<0.05) different among dietary treatments but total protein and globulin were not
significantly (P˃0.05) different among dietary treatments with cholesterol means being 175.05,
124.95, 132.65, 111.50 and 144.20 (ml/L) for 0, 5, 7.5, 10 and 12% MOLM respectively. Red
Description:
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES, UNIVERSITY
OF EDUCATION ,WINNEBA, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE AWARD OF DEGREE OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY IN ANIMAL
SCIENCE (ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT)
JULY, 2015