POTENTIAL OF GROUNDNUT ARACHIS HYPOGAEA VINES MEAL AS A FEED STUFF IN RURAL PIG PRODUCTION IN THE UPPER EAST REGION OF GHANA.

Abstract

In an earlier survey supported by AFRICA RISING Project on rural pig production in Northern Ghana, farmers indicated that cost of feed and feeding was a major problem. This was one of the reasons for leaving pigs to scavenge for food. Consequently, this study was intended to assess the value of groundnut vines for use as a cheap and locally available feedstuff for the preparation of pig diets. Samboligo is one of the geo-tagged AFRICA RISING communities in the Bongo district of the Upper East Region, where groundnut and pig production are important activities among other Africa RISING intervention communities. An on-farm feeding trial was conducted in this community to evaluate the use of groundnut vines as a feed ingredient in the diets of grower pigs. These pigs were fed five different diets of varying levels (0%, 4%, 8% and 12%) of groundnut vines in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Pigs were fed twice daily and water provided ad libitum. The experiment lasted eight weeks. Parameters measured included feed intake, daily weight gain, feed conversion efficiency and final body weight gain. Economics of gain was also calculated. Proximate composition of the various treatments were conducted in accordance with the AOAC (1999) method. Data were analyzed by ANOVA using GenStat 12th edition. There were no significant (P>0.05) differences among all parameters across all treatments. There were significant differences (P< 0.05) observed in week one average daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio. No significant differences were recorded among all treatments in the rest of the weeks. Economics of gain for the experimental diets at GH₵ 0.25 per Kilogram of groundnut vine indicated that, Farmer diet cost lowest (GH₵ 0.48) whereas T4 was the highest (GH₵ 0.96). Feed intake and weight gain were significantly (P<0.05) affected by protein and fat respectively. Feed conversion efficiency was negatively correlated with protein. Regression analysis between fat and protein to mean feed intake and weight gain were positive and linear at (p<0.01). Groundnut vines contained nutrients that are useful in pig nutrition including carbohydrate and protein. Addition of groundnut vines in the diets did not affect feed intake and weight gain of the pigs negatively and can therefore be included in pig diets up to 12%. Cost of producing a Kg Live weight of pig increased with the inclusion of groundnut vines, because it did not systematically replace any of the more expensive ingredient in the diet.