Growth performance and carcass traits of Large White, Mukota and Large White * Mukota F1 crosses given graded levels of maize cob meal

A study was conducted to compare the performance of Mukota, Large White (LW) and LW * Mukota F1 pigs given increasing levels of maize cob meal. Sixteen female weaners of each genotype were given, ad libitum, diets containing 0, 100, 200 and 300 g maize cob meal per kg of diet for 14 weeks. The diets were designed to contain similar levels of protein (ca. 160 g crude protein per kg) and energy (ca. 9 MJ metabolizable energy per kg). Average daily food intake per unit metabolic body weight (ADFI per kg M0.75), average daily gain (ADG) and food conversion ratio (FCR) were determined. The pigs were slaughtered and cold dressed mass (CDM) and backfat thickness were determined for each pig. The ADFI per kg M0.75 was similar among the four diets for the three genotypes. The rate of decline in ADG was higher (P < 0.05) in the LW than in the other two genotypes. The FCR in the Mukota was poorer (P < 0.05) than that in the LW and the F1 crosses. The Mukota had the highest (P < 0.05) backfat thickness (K5 and K7.5) values of the three genotypes across the four diets, followed by the F1 crosses. The CDM values for the LW and the F1 crosses were similar and were higher (P < 0.05) than those for the Mukota. The findings indicate that F1 crosses and the Mukota were better able to utilize diets containing high levels of maize cob meal than LW pigs.