Effects of replacing soybean meal by detoxified Jatropha curcas kernel meal in the diet of growing pigs on their growth, serum biochemical parameters and visceral organs

The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of replacing soybean meal by detoxified Jatropha curcas kernel meal (DJM) in the diet of growing pig on their growth, serum biochemical parameter and visceral organ weight. Thirty-six growing pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire), with an average weight of about 21 kg, were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments and three replicates per treatment. The DJM was included in the diets at levels of 0, 54, 102 g/kg to replace 0, 25 or 50% of soybean meal in the diet on an isonitrogenous basis, and designated as DJM0 (control), DJM25 and DJM50, respectively. Feed intake and weight gain were recorded during the experiment. At the end of the experiment, a total of 12 pigs, 6 each from control and DJM50, were slaughtered and examined for internal organ weight and histopathological changes in liver and kidney. Inclusion of DJM had no effect (P>0.05) on weight, weight gain and feed to gain ratio of pigs. No significant effects were observed on visceral organ weights, serum biochemical parameters, and histomorphology of livers and kidneys of pigs fed DJM50 compared to the control group. These results show that the nutritive value of the detoxified Jatropha kernel meal supplemented with additional lysine is comparable with that of soybean meal for pigs.