Abstract:
Sixteen (16) pigs of mixed breeds (Large White, Landrace and Duroc) within the range of 25 and 30 kg live weight were used to investigate the effect of ground garlic (Allium sativum) on performance, health status and meat quality of growing pigs. The pigs were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments with each pig housed in separate partitioned pen and treated as a replicate in a completely randomized experimental design. The basal diet (17.7% CP) was supplemented with ground dried garlic at 0, 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0 g/kg diets. The diets were offered to the pigs at 5% of pig’s body weight and fed twice (morning and evening). Clean water was provided ad-libitum throughout the experimental period of nine weeks. Feed intake was taken daily and live weights were taken weekly to determine growth performance. Haematological indices, serum cholesterol content, carcass characteristics, meat quality (organoleptic, oxidative stability and bacteriological status) and parasitic (helminthes eggs and Coccidial oocysts count) load of faeces were determined.
The results revealed that the performance of the pigs were not significantly (P > 0.05) affected by dietary garlic supplementation. The shoulder and loin back fat thickness, and weights of lungs, heart and spleen decreased marginally with increased level of garlic supplementation in the diet. The Packed Cell Volume, Red Blood Cells and Haemoglobin components of the blood significantly (P < 0.05) increased with increasing length of dietary garlic supplementation. There was a reduction in serum cholesterol of pigs as level garlic supplementation in diet increased (199.60±42.10, 177.05±39.62, 175.12±33.71 and 170.70±38.41 mg/dI for 0, 1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 g/kg diets respectively; P > 0.05). Garlic aroma and oxidative stability of meat were enhanced (P < 0.05) by the levels and length of garlic supplementation respectively in diets of pigs. Dietary supplementation of garlic for pigs reduced bacterial load of meat during refrigerated storage (P < 0.001) and there was a reduction in helminthes eggs and Coccidia oocysts. It was concluded that garlic supplementation at up to 5 g/kg diet is recommended for reduction in subcutaneous fat thickness and serum cholesterol content, improvement in blood erythrocyte series and meat quality, as well as reduction in endoparasitic burden (helminthes eggs and Coccidia oocysts) of pigs.
