Growth performance indices and internal organ characteristics of male pigs fed diets containing Aspilia africana leaf meal

Abstract The high cost of feedstuff and untoward effects of synthetic drug use in livestock production necessitated this research, which evaluated the roles of Aspilia africana leaf meal (AALM) on the growth and organ characteristics of pigs. Fifty (50) growing large white male pigs of 10–12 weeks old with average weight of 10.93kg were used. The pigs were grouped into five, having five replicates of two pigs each. Each group was assigned to an experimental diet in a completely randomized design. The diets were the control diet (without AALM); the AALM2.5 diet containing 2.5% AALM; the AALM5.0 diet containing 5.0% AALM; the AALM7.5 diet containing 7.5% AALM; and the AALM10.0 diet containing 10.0% AALM. Feed intake (FI) and body weight gain (BWG) decreased (p < 0.05) with increasing levels of AALM, while feed conversion ratio (FCR) was best (p < 0.05) with AALM5.0 diet. The percentage weight (PW) of the lungs, intestine, and testes was higher (p < 0.05) in AALM5.0 and AALM7.5 than in other treatments which were similar (p > 0.05), while the PW of the liver increased (p < 0.05) with increasing levels of AALM. Pigs on AALM10.0 diet recorded non-pathological changes in their lungs, liver, and kidney. Proliferation of sperm cells under normal tissue architecture was observed in the testes of AALM5.0, AALM7.5, and AALM10.0 pigs. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of a non-conventional feed resource, Aspilia africana leaf meal (AALM) on the growth and internal organ characteristics of male pigs.