Effect of partial replacement of soybean meal with palm kernel meal and copra meal on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs

To study the effects of partial replacement of soybean meal (SBM) with palm kernel meal (PKM) and copra meal (CM) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics in finishing pigs, a total of 150 crossbred pigs (Landrace X Duroc X Yorkshire; average 52.11 +/-1.08 kg body weight) were alloted to five treatments, in a randomized block design. The treatments included 1) Control: without PKM or CM, 2) PKM2: 2% of palm kernel meal, 3) PKM4: 4% palm kernel meal, 4) CM2: 2% of copra meal, 5) CM4: 4% of copra meal. During the early finishing period (52 similar to 74 kg), growth performance was better in CM diets than in PKM diets or control diet, and in overall period (74 similar to 100), ADG was lower (p<0.05) in PKM4 diet than the other diets. Nutrient digestibilies of PKM or CM substituted diets showed the tendency to be lower than those of control diet. In the early finishing period, total amino acid digestibilities of PKM and CM diets had the tendency to be lower than control diet, and in the late finishing period, they were lower (p<0.05) than control diet. Carcass length was longer (p<0.05) in the pigs fed 2% CM than in the pigs fed 4% PKM diet, but other carcass characteristics were not different among treatments. Although the dietary C14:0 content affected (p<0.05) on the C14:0 content in the carcass, the inclusion of PKM or CAI in the diet did not affect the total saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids in the backfat of finishing pigs. Although it was not significant, supplementation of CM at the 2% and 4% of control group tended to decrease feed cost per kg weight gain by 2.89 to 1.42%, respectively In conclusion, copra meal can be a valuable sourer: of protein in the diet for finishing pigs and may replace other protein sources in pig diets to a considerable extent.