Keoboualapheth et al., 2003. Livest. Res. Rur. Dev., 15 (9)

An experiment was carried out with two objectives: (a) to determine the optimum amount of Stylo 184 as replacement for rice bran in diets for Laosian indigenous pigs; (b) to study the effects of Stylo 184 on intake and growth performance of indigenous pigs. Sixteen indigenous pigs of 12±1.63 kg and 3 months of age from the upland area were used in the experiment. The experimental design was a completely randomized design (CRD) with 4 replications. The dietary treatments were: S0: 50% maize + 50% rice bran + 0% Stylo 184; S10: 50% maize + 40% rice bran + 10% Stylo 184 fed separately; S20: 50% maize + 30% rice bran + 20% Stylo 184 fed separately, S30: 50% maize + 20% rice bran + 30% Stylo 184 fed separately.  Total DM intakes were 942, 1224, 1221 and 1309 g/day for S0, S10, S20 and S30,  respectively, while DM intakes of Stylo 184  were 49.2 g (4.1% of diet DM), 76.5 g (6.3% of diet DM) and 82.7 g (6.4% of diet DM) for S10, S20 and S30,  respectively. The average daily live weight gains were 154, 221, 245 and 320 g for S10, S20 and S30,  respectively. DM conversion rates were: 6.25, 5.50, 5.00 and 4.00. It is concluded that Laotian indigenous pigs over the live weight range of 10 to 40 kg can consume Stylo 184 foliage at up to 6.4% of the diet DM without any negative effects on health and with superior growth performance and a higher profit for the farmers.