Nutritive value of plantain and chicory for pigs
2019
Rattanasomboon, T. | Wester, T.J. | Smith, S.L. | Morel, P.C.H.
Many feedstuffs used in pig diets are in direct competition with human food, the overall objective of the research is look at alternative ingredients, such as forages. The first step in feed evaluation is to determine the nutritive value of a potential ingredient. In the present study the effects of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) and plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) on (1) total tract energy digestibility, (2) ileal amino acid digestibility, and (3) morphology of distal ileum were investigated. Fifteen intact male pigs were blocked according to initial body weight (23 ± 2.89 kg) and allocated to three different diets: a wheat-based basal diet (basal diet), and two diets with inclusion of 250 g/kg chicory (chicory diet) or plantain (plantain diet). The experiment was conducted over a 10 day period, with 3–4 days of acclimatisation, followed by 5 days of adaptation and 5 days of faecal collection. Inclusion of chicory in the diet reduced the apparent ileal digestibility coefficient (AIDC) of crude protein (CP) and indispensable AA, including methionine + cysteine, threonine and tryptophan (P < 0.05); whereas, only the values of AIDC for CP and tryptophan were decreased by plantain inclusion (P < 0.05). The apparent total tract digestibility coefficient (ATTDC) of chicory and plantain diets were reduced for dry matter (DM), CP, starch, and energy (P < 0.05). A greater ATTDC for cellulose was observed in pigs fed chicory diet (P < 0.05). However, no difference in ATTDC for hemicellulose and lignin were observed (P > 0.05). Growth performance did not alter from inclusion of chicory and plantain after 10 days of feeding (P > 0.05). However, pigs fed the plantain diet had narrower distal ileum mucosal villus width (P = 0.02). Overall results show that inclusion of chicory and plantain forages at 250 g/kg in grower diets had a negative impact on digestibility of some nutrients, but had no impact on overall animal performance. To obtain a better understanding of the potential effects of chicory and plantain, adjustments in nutrient concentration and long-term on-farm experiments need to be performed.
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