EFFECT OF INCLUDING GRADED LEVELS OF MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAF(MOLM) IN FED DIETS ON CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF PIGS AND PORK QUALITY

This experiment which lasted for 12 months used a total of 20 female pigs to investigate the dietary effect of Moringa oleiferaleaf (MOLM) on the carcass characteristics of pigs and pork quality. The pigs which were 10-11 weeks of age and an average body weight of 11 kg were used. The pigs were randomly grouped into five treatments with each animal constituting a replicate in a randomized complete design and each treatment had four replicates (animals). The control diet contained no MOLM (0%), while Diets 2, 3, 4 and 5 contained (MOLM) at the rate of 5, 7.5, 10 and 12%, respectively. Data collected were subjected to the analysis of variance procedure of Statistical Analysis Systems (SAS 2010). There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in initial body weight. All the parameters measured for pork quality: moisture, protein, fat, ash, carbohydrate, pH and energy were significantly (P<0.05) different among treatments. Sows fed 0% (8.54) and 7.5 % (8.55) (MOLM) were significantly higher in fat than all the other MOLM treatment 5%, 10% and 12% for 8.38, 8.38 and 8.19 respectively. carcass with fur, dressing weight, dressing percentage, visceral fat weight, heart weight, lung weight, liver weight, spleen weight, kidney weight, visceral with content, visceral without content, stomach with content and back fat thickness measured for carcass characteristics were significantly (P<0.05) different. Back fat thickness for 0% MOLM (3.05) was significantly higher than all the MOLM treatments and reduced significantly as MOLM inclusion levels increased 2.78, 1.55, 1.25 and 1.00for 5, 7.5, 10 and 12% MOLM respectively. However, values for stomach without content did not (P>0.05) differ. It could be concluded that MOLM has no deleterious effect on pork quality and carcass characteristics of pigs. MOLM reduces fat in pock. Carbohydrate and energy levels in pork increases with increasing levels of MOLM. Visceral fat and back fat thickness reduces with increasing levels of MOLM. It is recommended that for pork quality, MOLM inclusion level should be at 5%.