title: Studies on the use of Colocasia esculenta (taro cocoyam) in the diets of weaned pigs.
abstract: Sixty weanling Large White x Duroc pigs were allocated to five groups of 12 pigs per group and fed on one of five diets. The five diets comprised 0, 50% and 100% unboiled, sun-dried taro cocoyam cormels (Colocasia esculenta) and 50% and 100% boiled, sun-dried taro cocoyam cormels as replacements for maize. The levels of some antinutritional factors were also determined in both boiled and unboiled, sun-dried taro cocoyam. Boiling reduced (p < 0.05) the amounts of the antinutritional factors in the taro cocoyam cormels. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in feed intake, weight gain or feed efficiency between the diets containing boiled taro cocoyam cormels. However, for unboiled, sun-dried taro cocoyam cormels, there were significant differences (p < 0.05) in weight gain and feed efficiency, these being depressed at more than 50% replacement of maize. This may be due to the relatively high amounts of antinutritional factors in the unboiled, sun-dried taro cormels. Boiled taro cocoyam cormels were comparable to maize as an energy source in the diets of weanling pigs.
authors.affiliation: Box 3659, Unical P.O., Department of Animal Science, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
authors.forename: L N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Agwunobi
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Angwukam
authors.forename: O O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Cora
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Isika
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D031060:Colocasia / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D010070:Oxalates / Q000032:analysis; D010833:Phytic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D012503:Saponins / Q000032:analysis; D013552:Swine / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D013634:Tannins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D010070:Oxalates; D012503:Saponins; D013634:Tannins; D010833:Phytic Acid