Abstract:
This study was conducted to determine the effects of treating Prosopis juliflora pods with multi-enzyme and
bacterial cultures on in-vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), fermentation kinetics and performance of growing
pigs. Experiment one consisted of a pepsin-pancreatine hydrolysis method to simulate in-vitro, the pig digestive
system and was followed by in-vitro gas production to assess fermentation kinetics. Samples of ground
Prosopis pod meal (GPPM) were allocated to four treatments with three replicates each. Treatments included
GPPM treated with multi-enzyme (Natuzyme®) (T1); Untreated (GPPM) (T2); GPPM fermented with
(Lactobacillus plantarum MTD1 Ecosyl ®) (T3) and GPPM treated using natural fermentation (T4). The second
experiment assessed the performance of pigs fed the best treatment from experiment 1. Thirty Landrace x Large
white crosses of 20 ± 2 Kg were allotted to five treatments with six pigs each (replicates). The dietary treatments
were PC -0% GPPM + Enzyme; NC − 0% GPPM and 0% Enzyme; D1–10% GPPM + Enzyme; D2- 20% GPPM +
Enzyme; and D3- 30% GPPM + Enzyme. The completely randomized block design was used for both
experiments. Enzyme treatment (T1) and T3 improved the IVDMD of the GPPM compared to T2 by 3.68% and
1.2% respectively (p < 0.05). Cumulative gas was highest and Tmax lowest for T1 but significantly different only
to T4 (p < 0.05). Average daily gain and intake was highest for pigs fed GPPM up to 10% (PC, D1). Feed
conversion ratio increased with the level of GPPM in the diet. Results suggest Prosopis juliflora pods treated
with enzymes can be added in pig diets up to 30%.
