Effects of Replacing Fish Meal with Ensiled Shrimp By-Product on the Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Growing Pigs

Abstract

A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing fish meal (FM) with ensiled shrimp by-product (ESB) in a cassava root meal and rice bran-based diet on the performance and carcass characteristics of growing pigs. Thirty six crossbred (Large White x Mong Cai) pigs, with an average initial BW of 19.4 kg, were randomly allocated to one of three different dietary treatments in which the crude protein of the FM was replaced with 0, 50 or 100% ESB. The animals were fed restrictedly and at the end of the experiment at a BW of about 90 kg, 6 representative animals in each treatment group were slaughtered for carcass quality evaluation. Animal growth performance and daily feed intake were significantly reduced (p<0.05) by the inclusion of shrimp by-products in the diets, whereas feed conversion ratios and carcass measurements were not significantly affected (p>0.05). Daily weight gains of the pigs fed the 100% FM diet and 50% ESB diet were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those of pigs fed the 100% ESB diet. In conclusion, from an economical as weil as performance point of view, ESB can replace 50% of the crude protein of FM in cassava root meal and rice bran-based diets for growing pigs with a low genetic growth potential.