Evaluation of nutritive value of taro (colacasia esculenta linn) as a substitute for maize in weaner pig diet

The nutritive value of Taro (Colocasia esculenta) as a substitute for maize in weaner pig diets was evaluated using (1) chemical analysis (proximate, gross energy, and anti-nutritional factors). (2) Animal trial (growth performance, carcass characteristics and organ weight expressed as percentage dressed weights and feed cost estimate of the diets). Diet 1 was maize based while diets 2, 3, and 4 had maize being replaced at 13.7% (5%), 27.24% (10%), and 41.13% (15%) by taro respectively. A total of 24 weaner pigs were used and randomly allotted to four dietary treatments having three replicates and two weaner pigs per replicate in a completely randomized design. The experiment lasted for 56 days, feed and water were given ad libitum. The proximate and gross energy showed CP (5.342%), GE (3.851kcal/kg). Phytate (0.29%), Oxalate (0.54%), HCN (4.45%) and Tannin (0.063%). The growth performance favoured diet 4, followed by 3, 2 and 1 with feed conversion ratio of 0.1826, 0.1953, 0.1951 and 0.2057 respectively. The carcass characteristics and organ weight favoured T3. The feed cost estimate of diets also favoured T3 (with cost/kg weight gain of N277.43 as opposed to others in T1 (N290.40), T2 (N292.01) and T4 (N281.99). Judging from the growth performance especially feed conversion ratio (0.1953), carcass characteristics ( % dressed weight, ham %, shoulder % and belly %), comparable organ weight and highest value of economic viability especially for cost/kg weight gain N277.43 as opposed to others, T1 = N290.40, T2 = N292.07 and T4 = N287.99. T3 is therefore recommended.