EFFECTS OF SWEET POTATO LITTERS AS SUPPLEMENTAL FEED ON THE MEAT PRODUCTIVITY AND MEAT QUALITY OF PIGS

摘要

IntroductionThe use of natural materials such as sweet potato litters as supplemental feed is may prove to be ideal. Recently, inclusion of the use of the leaves and stems of plants are on the concern of many researchers through the world, particularly in Japan. Generally, in Kyushu Island, located in the southern part of Japan, many litters and residual aspects of plants (e.g. sweet potato plants) are discarded without benefit. In previous studies, we have determined the effectiveness of introducing the litters and the leaves of sweet potato to the diet of egg-laying hens. We found that when sweet potato litters increased their diet the feed intake of birds increased (Takenoyama et al., 2007). These data suggested that sweet potato litters may also have significant effects on the productivity of meat animals such as pigs and beef cattle as well as dairy cattle. To increase the feed intake of animals, studies must been conducted on the variations of their diets. The purpose of this study was to utilize the leaves and stems of the sweet potato to determine whether they could be used as functional forage for pigs. This study investigated the effects of these litters on the growth condition of pigs, meat productivity and nutritional quality of the meat. Meat quality, in this context, included lipid content, vitamin E content and fatty acid compositions, among others.