ABSTRACT

 Seven experiments were conducted with a total of 120 pigs to evaluate the nutritional value of palm kernel meal (PKM), brewers’ dried grain (BDG) and wheat offal (WO) using pigs in the humid tropics. In Experiment 1, the treatment diets comprised of different proportions of PKM and WO as follows: Tl, 5% PKM+0% WO; T2, 30% PKM+25% WO; T3, 20% PKM +35% WO; T4, 10% PKM+45% WO. Experiment 2 involved the nutritional evaluation of 0, 30, 35 and 40% PKM in TI, T2, T3 and T4 diets, respectively with weaner and grower pigs. The nutritional value of diets containing 0 (Tl), 30 (T2), 35 (T3) and 40% (T4) BDG were evaluated using weaner and grower pigs in Experiment 3, while in Experiment 4, diets of different proportions, 30 and 40% (T2), 35 and 35% (T3), and 40 and 30% (T4) PKM and III BDG, respectively were evaluated with weaner and grower pigs. The control (Tl) diet had no PKM or BDG. PKM and BDG replaced part of maize in Experiments 2 and 3, respectively and the whole of maize in Experiments land 4. In Experiments 5, 6 and 7, the nutrient utilization of pigs fed PKM, BDG, WO or PKM+BDG, BDG diets and PKM+BDG diets, respectively (CRD) with each treatment replicated three times. In Experiments 2 to 4, growth performance and cost-benefit were evaluated at the weaner stage, while at tire grower stage, carcass quality and organ characteristics were assessed at the end ofthe experiments. Parameters measured protein efficiency ratio (PER). Others were feed cost, feed cost of weight gain and gross cut parts, and organ weights expressed as percentage of dressed weight. In Experiments 5 to measured. Results showed that in Experiment 1, pigs fed 30% PKM & 25% WO had xv margin. The carcass quality and organ characteristics evaluated were warm dressed weight, were evaluated. All the experiments were in a completely randomized design were live weight, weight gain, feed and protein intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and 7, apparent nutrient digestibility, energy and nitrogen balance and protein utilization.