Lepidium cake as a feedstuff for pigs

• The European reliance on imported protein feed for animal feed is not considered sustainable. A way to improve the sustainability of pig production could be by increasing the use of locally produced feedstuff and co-products that are not used for human consumption. Thus, there is a need to explore novel feed resources. Field cress, Lepidium campestre, is a wild Brassica species and is very winter hardy, thus, it can grow even in the northern part of Europe. Currently there is an interest in developing L. campestre for future food (oil) and biodiesel production. Besides, its cake has previously been suggested as a feed source to animals. Therefore, a total of 8 pigs having an initial body weight of 26.5 kg (standard deviation: +/- 2.5 kg) were used in a 44-d feeding experiment to evaluate the effect of different inclusion rates of lepidium cake (LC) on palatability, coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (MAD), blood profile, and feeding behavior. A total of 4 diets were formulated: a cereal-based control diet and 3 diets containing 4, 8, and 12% of LC (LC4, LC8, and LC12). The experiment was conducted in change-over design, using 4 diets and 4 periods. Each period consists of 11 d, including 7 d of adaptation followed by 4 d of faeces collection. Fecal samples for CTTAD determinations were collected at d 8, 9, 10, and 11 of each period. Blood samples were collected and analyzed at d 8 of each period. Feeding behavior was evaluated in d 1 and 8 of each period. The result of the study showed that the CTTAD of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, dietary fiber, non-starch polysaccharides, and gross energy was linearly and quadratically affected by diet (P < 0.001). On the other hand, the CTTAD of ether extract was not affected linearly or quadratically. Eating time was not affected by different inclusion rates of LC, but longer eating time (P < 0.05) was recorded in pigs fed the control diet than those fed different inclusion rates of LC. Eating rate was (P = 0.01) also affected by treatment. Accordingly, greater eating rate was documented in pigs fed diet containing 12% LC than those fed the control diet. Furthermore, pigs eating control feed showed a greater frequency of feeding behaviors (searching, throwing, rooting, and moving feed) than those consuming the diet containing 4% of LC. We can suggest that LC is palatable feed to grower pigs, but the result would indicate that the presence of high total dietary fiber and glucosinolate in the cake reduced its CTTAD and energy value.

Ämnesord

LANTBRUKSVETENSKAPER  -- Husdjursvetenskap -- Husdjursvetenskap (hsv//swe)

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES  -- Animal and Dairy Sience -- Animal and Dairy Science. (hsv//eng)

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