Nguyen Thi Thuy et al., 2002. Livest. Res. Rural Dev., 14 (2): 1-7

A 2x2 factorial arrangement was employed in a short-term study (28 days) of growth and digestibility indices in four Mong Cai and four Large White female pigs weighing on average 22.9 kg fed ad libitum diets containing rubber seed meal (0 or 27%) as replacement for rice bran.There was no significant interaction for genotype x diet. Daily feed intake and live weight gain were lower  (P<0.01) in the Mong Cai as compared to the Large White gilts (1.36 and 2.09 kg DM/day;  273 and 533 g/day). The Mong Cai genotype also had a poorer (P<0.05) DM conversion.  Rubber seed tended to increase feed intake (2.01 and 1.45 kg DM/day respectively), but had  no effect on daily gain and feed conversion.There were neither genotype nor diet effects on total tract digestibility of DM, organic matter, NDF and N.  Mong Cai appeared to digest N less efficiently than the Large White genotype and the reverse tended to be true for NDF digestibility. Rubber seeds in the diet appeared to negatively influence NDF digestibility. N digestibility was high in all cases.  There was no correlation between DM (or organic matter) digestibility and performance traits. Similarly there was no significant interaction between  feed conversion and any other  indicator.Differences in performance traits between Mong Cai and Large White female pigs appear to be  more marked than differences in total tract digestibility indices. There appear to be no disadvantages if substantial amounts of rubber seeds (27% in diet DM) are used for feeding pigs. However, more performance data are necessary in order to assess the  long-term effects of rubber seeds as a feed resource for pig production.