Potential of using maize cobs in pig diets : a review

CITATION: Kanengoni, A. T., et al. 2015. Potential of using maize cobs in pig diets : a review. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 28(12):1669-1679, doi:10.5713/ajas.15.0053.The original publication is available at http://ajas.info/journal/view.phpThe quest to broaden the narrow range of feed ingredients available to pig producers has prompted research on the use of low cost, unconventional feedstuffs, which are typically fibrous and abundant. Maize cobs, a by-product of a major cereal grown worldwide, have potential to be used as a pig feed ingredient. Presently, maize cobs are either dumped or burnt for fuel. The major challenge in using maize cobs in pig diets is their lignocellulosic nature (45% to 55% cellulose, 25% to 35% hemicellulose, and 20% to 30% lignin) which is resistant to pigs’ digestive enzymes. The high fiber in maize cobs (930 g neutral detergent fiber/kg dry matter [DM]; 573 g acid detergent fiber/kg DM) increases rate of passage and sequestration of nutrients in the fiber reducing their digestion. However, grinding, heating and fermentation can modify the structure of the fibrous components in the maize cobs and improve their utilization. Pigs can also extract up to 25% of energy maintenance requirements from fermentation products. In addition, dietary fiber improves pig intestinal health by promoting the growth of lactic acid bacteria, which suppress proliferation of pathogenic bacteria in the intestines. This paper reviews maize cob composition and the effect on digestibility of nutrients, intestinal microflora and growth performance and proposes the use of ensiling using exogenous enzymes to enhance utilization in diets of pigs.http://ajas.info/journal/view.php?doi=10.5713/ajas.15.0053Publisher's versio

Seasonal effects of Rhus lancea and Celtis africana on intake preference and physiological responses in South African indigenous goats

This study investigated the seasonal effects of Rhus lancea and Celtis africana leaves on preference, intake, weight, and serum metabolites in South African indigenous, mature, male goats. Twelve mature, male goats weighing 34 ± 5.9 kg (mean ± SD) were randomly allocated to two groups of six and kept in metabolic crates for periods of 21 days in October 2015 and March, May, and August of 2016. A browser diet of R. lancea and C. africana and a control diet (lucerne and concentrates) were randomly allocated to each group. Measurements taken included nutritional composition of browse per season, and browse preference, intake, weight changes, and serum metabolites in the goats. The acid detergent fibre (24–36%) and neutral detergent fibre (26.9–70.4 %) in R. lancea over the months were greater than in C. africana (50.3–53.2% and 49.4–55.4%, respectively). In the preference study, the goats preferred C. africana more in October (51.2 vs 48.8%), March (51.4 vs 48.6%), and May (54.3 vs 45.7%). Goats on the browser diet lost weight in March, May, and in August whereas those on the control diet gained weight. The serum urea concentration of goats consuming browser diets in May and August (1.8–3.3 mmol/l) was lower than the normal range, consistent with animals failing to derive their protein requirements from the diet. Goats prefer to browse C. africana more than R. lancea. The study also indicated the need for supplementation to meet maintenance requirements in animals fed R. lancea and C. africana.College of Agriculture and Environmental Science

Effect of sun drying on microbes in non-conventional agricultural by-products

There is concern whether cabbage and beetroot wastes from the Fresh Produce Market are safe for feeding animals given the fact that some will have been discarded at the onset of putrefaction. This study evaluated the effects of sun-drying on microbiological load (E. coli, coliform, yeast and moulds and total bacterial count) in waste vegetables from the fresh produce market, since smallholder farmers tend to use the by-products without processing given the opportunity. Cabbage and beetroot wastes were sun dried to 14% moisture and micro-organisms were enumerated on both wet and dried samples. The results showed that sun drying reduced the level of micro-organisms significantly in both cabbage and beetroot. Although microbial load varied from batch to batch in the wet samples, coliforms were significantly more abundant in wet beetroot than in the dried samples. However, dried beetroot contained significantly more yeast and moulds. Wet cabbage contained more coliform and yeast and moulds compared to sun-dried cabbage. The sun drying process is thus an efficient processing method for resource poor farmers to reduce the microbial load in these animal feed sources and improve their shelf life.Keywords: Cabbage and beetroot waste, alternative feeds, coliforms, yeasts, moulds and sun dryin

Effect of boar genotype on reproductive performance of the local sows of Zimbabwe

The effect of boar genotype on the reproductive performance of local sows was investigated. Large White (LW) and local Mukota boars were mated to 20 sows over 3 parities and the performance of the sows and litters were compared up to weaning. Data on the gestation length, number of piglets born alive (NBA), the number of piglets born dead (NBD), number weaned and the sex ratio were recorded. The weights of the piglets were recorded within 16 hours of birth and also at weaning. No creep feeding of the piglets was done and weaning was done at 35 days of age. There were no differences in the number of services per conception and the NBD. Litter size at birth, NBA and the number of piglets that were weaned were higher in sows mated to LW boars than to indigenous boars. These findings indicate that imported boars can be used under smallholder pig production systems as they complement traits of both the local and imported breeds

A comparison of faecal microbial populations of South African Windsnyer-type indigenous pigs (SAWIP) and Large White x Landrace (LW x LR) crosses fed diets containing ensiled maize cobs

Faecal microbial communities in South African Windsnyer-type indigenous pigs (SAWIPs) and Large White × Landrace (LW × LR) crosses were investigated using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rDNA genes. The faecal microbial communities in LW × LR crosses and SAWIPs fed control (CON) and high maize cob (HMC) diets were evaluated through parallel sequencing of 16S rDNA genes. Butrivibrio, Faecalibacterium and Desulfovibrio, although present in LW × LR pigs, were absent from the SAWIP microbial community. Bacteroides, Succiniclasticum, Peptococcus and Akkermansia were found in SAWIPs but not in LW × LR crosses. The ratios of Bacteroidia to Clostridia on the CON and HMC diets were similar (0.37 versus 0.39) in SAWIPs but different (0.24 versus 0.1) in LW × LR crosses. The faecal microbial profiles determined were different between the LW × LR and SAWIP breeds but not between pigs fed the CON and HMC diets. The composition of faecal bacterial communities in SAWIPs was determined for the first time. The differences in microbial communities detected may explain the enhanced ability of SAWIPs to digest fibrous diets compared with the LW × LR crosses

Effects of whey, molasses and exogenous enzymes on the ensiling characteristics, nutrient composition and aerobic stability of maize cobs

CITATION: Kanengoni, A. T., et al. 2016. Effects of whey, molasses and exogenous enzymes on the ensiling characteristics, nutrient composition and aerobic stability of maize cobs. South African Journal of Animal Science, 46(2):113-120, doi:10.4314/sajas.v46i2.1.The original publication is available at http://www.sasas.co.zaThe study was conducted to assess the effects of whey, molasses and exogenous enzymes on fermentation, aerobic stability and nutrient composition of ensiled maize cobs. Five treatments were ensiled in 1.5 L anaerobic glass jars over 32 days, namely i) control (maize cobs without additives (CON); ii) maize cobs with sugarcane molasses only (MOL); iii) MOL and whey (MOW); iv) MOW and exogenous enzyme at 0.5 g/kg maize cob mixture (ENZ1) and v) MOW and exogenous enzyme at 1 g/kg maize cob mixture (ENZ2). There was a day effect on gross energy (GE) for CON, MOL, ENZ1 and ENZ2 and none for MOW. There was a day effect in ADF for MOL, ENZ1 and ENZ2 and none for CON and MOW. There was lower dry matter (DM) on day 32 compared with day 0 for all treatments. There were treatment effects for GE, crude protein (CP), ash, ether extract, amylase-treated neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre (ADF). On day 32, the neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and ADF concentrations in CON were higher than in MOL, MOW and ENZ2. At day 32, CON silage pH (4.2) was lower than the pH values of ENZ1 (4.5) and ENZ2 (4.6) silages. Acetic acid levels were higher in ENZ1 than ENZ2 silages. Ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) levels averaged 25 ± 6.6 g NH3-N/kg total nitrogen, which is indicative of satisfactory ensiling. The MOL, ENZ1 and ENZ2 silages produced more carbon dioxide than CON and MOW silages. The addition of molasses and whey did not improve the nutritive quality of the maize cobs after ensiling. Ensiling maize cobs with molasses, whey and exogenous enzymes resulted in lower DM and fibre levels in the maize cobs, which could enhance intake and digestibility of nutrients when offered to pigs as a component of a balanced diet. Further investigations using higher concentrations of whey and molasses are warranted to improve the energy and protein composition of the maize cobs.http://www.sasas.co.za/effects-whey-molasses-and-exogenous-enzymes-ensiling-characteristics-nutrient-composition-andPublisher's versio