Improving smallholder income generation by integrating DMC by-products into pig raising activities

Abstract

Development of cereal/legumes association in DMC system with smallholder farmers needs to provide direct economic benefits in addition to soil fertility improvement and weed control. Thus, no till maize associated with pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) has been promoted in Sayaboury province of Lao PDR in order to improve the conventional maize monocropping system, provide farmers with additional raw material for pig raising and reduce local dependence on imported soybean meal. However, the use of grain legumes in pig nutrition has been limited due to high concentrations of secondary plant metabolites. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of three dietary treatments on the technical and economic performances of short-term pig fattening systems. Treatments were based on different protein sources - i.e. soybean meal (Group 1), inclusion of raw pigeon pea seed (Group 2), and inclusion of boiled pigeon pea seed in a ration (Group 3). The results of these trials show that the quantity of pigeon pea meal used does not affect pig growth. Average daily growth obtained after 150 days with pigs reared with an inclusion of pigeon pea seed meal were significantly higher for Group 2 and 3 (523 g.day-1; 529 g.day-1) than those reared with protein concentrate only (464 g/day). Feed intake composed of 18% of pigeon pea enabled a reduction of 13% in the total cost of feed production. On average, the pigs fed with an inclusion of pigeon pea provided a net profit increase of 24 USD per head with no need meal preparation (boiling). Additional experiments should attempt using larger amounts of pigeon pea seed meal in the feed intake in order to evaluate the impact of higher content of antinutritional factors on growth performance. (Résumé d'auteur