Performance and nutrients digestibility of young pigs fed dietary raw and processed Gmelina arborea fruits

A feeding trial to study the effects of dietary Gmelina arborea fruit (GAF) meal on performance and nutrients digestibility of young piglets, was conducted. 16 male piglets averaging 12.40 ± 0.55kg were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments designated as 30% treated Gmelina arborea fruit based diet (negative control diet 1) and three other diets containing 10, 20 and 30% raw Gmelina arborea fruit meal. Feeding and water supply were given to appetite during a 42-day feeding experiment. Significant difference was observed in body weight gain (P < 0.05). There were significant differences in apparent digestibility of dry matter, daily intake and metabolizable energy (P < 0.05). Statistically significant differences were recorded on nitrogen intake, faecal nitrogen excretion, daily-retained nitrogen and the corresponding nitrogen retention coefficient (P< 0.05). Both performance and digestibility parameters were high and showed improvement on 30% treated or diet containing low inclusion of raw GAF meal (10%). It was concluded that Gmelina arborea fruits when processed or included raw at low levels from 10% in diets has no adverse effects on the performance and nutrients utilization in livestock.