Journal of Animal Production Advances

Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of Finisher

Pigs Fed Enzyme Supplemented Palm Kernel Cake
(PKC) Based Rations as Replacement for Maize
Oluwafemi R. A.

J Anim Pro Adv 2015, 5(10): 771-776

DOI: 10.5455/japa.20151020013902

Online version is available on: www.grjournals.com

OLUWAFEMI R. A.

ISSN: 2251-7677

Original Article

Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of

Finisher Pigs Fed Enzyme Supplemented Palm
Kernel Cake (PKC) Based Rations as Replacement
for Maize

Oluwafemi R. A.

Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, University of Abuja. FCT, Abuja.

Abstract
The effect of enzyme supplemented palm kernel cake (PKC) based diets on the carcass characteristics and
meat quality of finisher pigs was evaluated. Thirty finisher pigs of the large white x duroc cross breed were
assigned to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design in an experiment which lasted for twelve
weeks. The first diet, which was the control, was maize based without palm kernel cake and no enzyme
supplementation (0%PKC - EZM). The second diet contained 40% PKC and with enzyme supplementation
(40% PKC + EZM). The third diet contained 40%PKC but without enzyme supplementation (40%PKC - EZM).
Present in the fourth diet were 60%PKC and with enzyme supplementation (60%PKC + EZM) while the fifth
diet contained 60%PKC but without enzyme supplementation (6%PKC - EZM). Although, there were no
significant differences in the average final weight of the finisher pigs, those on diets containing different levels
of PKC supplementation appeared to have higher numerical final live weight values compared to those on the
control diet (0%PKC without enzyme). The carcass length, expressed as a percentage of the dressed weight
revealed no significant (P>0.05) differences in all the experimental animals on the different experimental diets
including those on the control diet. There were significant (P<0.05) differences between the tenderness,
juiciness and overall acceptability of the pork from finisher pig fed the different experimental diets. In rating for
meat tenderness, there were no significant differences (P>0.05) between finisher pigs fed treatment 2 and
treatment 1 while there were significant (P<0.05) differences among the finisher pigs fed the remaining
treatments. In term of juiciness, significant (P<0.05) differences existed between finisher pigs fed treatment 5
and those on other dietary treatments whereas there were no significant (P>0.05) differences as regards
tenderness among treatments 1, 2, 3 and 4. The findings of this study showed that, finisher pigs could tolerate
Palm Kernel Cake (PKC) inclusion level of up to 60% (with or without enzyme supplementation) in
replacement for maize without any negative effect on their performance and carcass characteristics, therefore
PKC utilization in swine ration should be encouraged.
Keywords: Finisher pigs, PKC, enzyme supplementation, carcass characteristics, pork quality.

Corresponding author: Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, University of Abuja. FCT, Abuja.
Received on: 23 Dec 2013
Revised on: 30 Dec 2013
Accepted on: 20 Oct 2015
Online Published on: 30 Oct 2015

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J. Anim. Pro. Adv., 2015, 5(10): 771-776

CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS AND MEAT QUALITY OF

Introduction
The globalization of the swine industry has
caused major changes to national and international
swine production over the past decade and these
changes are likely to continue. Among African
Countries, Nigeria is blessed with enormous
livestock resources among which are Pigs. The
potential of increased meat production from pigs in
Nigeria is enormous when compared with cattle and
other ruminants (Oluwafemi et al., 2011).
According to Holness (1991), pigs have some major
advantages such as: - production of meat without
contributing to the deterioration of the natural
grazing land, conversion of concentrated food to
meat twice as effectively as ruminants, highly
productive because they are capable of producing
large litters after a relatively short gestation period
and have short generation interval and grow rapidly,
and if confined, maximum use can be made of their
manure, among other advantages.
More pork is consumed than any other meat in
the World. In 1998, it represented 39% of the
worlds total meat consumption compared to 26.5%
for beef and 28% for poultry (Pig International,
1999). World pork consumption increased from 34
to 88 million tonnes per year between 1970 and
1999. World population expansion undoubtedly
contributed to a substantial portion of this, but
average per capita intake also increased from 10 to
14.3kg/year (Black, 2000). Pork consumption varies
widely among countries and region with per capita
intake in 1998 ranging from 2kg/year in many
African countries to 60kg/year in Germany and
Spain (Pig International, 1999).
The swine industry in Nigeria has suffered a lot
of setbacks in the past as a result of quite a number
of factors which are associated with religion,
culture, fat content of pork, odour, capital,
inadequate production knowledge, cost of feed and
inadequate information about swine production
potentials among others (Oluwafemi et al., 2011).
However, there has been a positive change towards
pig production and consumption in Nigeria as a
result of unemployment, poverty, the need to meet
animal protein requirement for humans and above
all continuous research to discover low cost
feedstuffs. The search for cheap feed ingredients
772

such as agricultural by products which are less

competitive is on the increase. Many of such
ingredients which have been discovered have
contributed in no small measure to sustainable pig
production and expansion.
In the early 1980s, commercial livestock was a
well-developed and popular enterprise with
satisfactory returns on investment. Thereafter, the
industry experienced a steady decline due to high
production cost arising from shortages and high
feed prices due mainly to over reliance on grains
and other ingredients mostly consumed by humans.
The search for alternative feed ingredients including
those that contained high fibre content for livestock
feeding especially non-ruminants continues to
attract the attention of researchers especially in the
developing countries of the world for two main
reasons. First, is the stiff competition which exist
between humans and the livestock industry for
cereal grains, and secondly the low production
resulting in scarcity of cereal grains (Esonu, 1999).
Palm Kernel Cake is an unconventional feed
ingredient with high fibre content but it is very
cheap and readily available in Nigeria. The present
study was therefore carried out to evaluate the
effects of enzyme supplementation of PKC on the
performance of finisher pigs with a few to
determining its suitability as alternative feed
ingredient in pig production.
Materials and Methods
Experimental Animals and their Management
Thirty finisher pigs of the large white x duroc
cross breed were assigned to five dietary treatments
in a completely randomized design which lasted for
twelve weeks. The average initial weight of the pigs
ranges from 21.5kg - 23.17kg. The study was
carried out at the Piggery Unit of the Teaching and
Research Farm, Delta State University, Asaba
Campus, Nigeria using the intensive pig production
unit of the farm. A total number of 15 pens were
used. There were five treatments as follows:
0% PKC based diet only as control (Maize
based diet).
40% PKC based diet + Hemicell (R) enzyme
supplement.
J. Anim. Pro. Adv., 2015, 5(10): 771-776

OLUWAFEMI R. A.

40% PKC based diet without Hemicell (R)

enzyme supplement.
60%PKC based diet with Hemicell (R) enzyme
supplement.
60%PKC based diet without Hemicell(R)
enzyme supplement.
The 30 finisher pigs were allotted randomly
into 5 treatment groups of 3 replicates each. Each
replicate had 2 pigs thereby giving a total of 6 pigs
per treatment group. The dietary treatments were
compounded with Hemicell(R) enzyme added at
600g/ton to some of the treatment diet while the rest
did not have Hemicell (R) enzyme added to it as
stated above. Each dietary treatment was fed to the
treatment groups according to the experimental
design during the study period.
Data Collection
Performance Indices
Performance characteristics measured include:
initial live weight (kg), final live weight (kg),
average daily gain (kg), average daily feed intake
(kg), average daily digestible energy intake (Mcal),
feed conversion efficiency (kg feed intake/kg
weight gain), feed cost/gain (N), haematological
and serological characteristics of the pigs, their
carcass characteristics, organ weights and general
meat quality. Meat quality was measured using the
following nine a nine point structured questionnaire
to solicit responses about tenderness, juiciness,
flavour and overall acceptability of the meat. The
nine points are:
9 = Extremely tender, juicy, flavoured,
acceptable.
8 = Very tender, juicy, flavoured, acceptable.
7 = Moderately tender, juicy, flavoured,
acceptable.
6 = Slightly tender, juicy, flavoured,
acceptable.
5 = Neither tender nor tough, juicy nor dry,
flavoured nor unflavoured, acceptable nor
unacceptable.
4 = Slightly tough, dry, unflavoured,
unacceptable.
3 = Moderately tough, dry, unflavoured,
unacceptable.
773

J. Anim. Pro. Adv., 2015, 5(10): 771-776

2 = Very tough, dry, unflavoured, unacceptable

1 = Extremely tough, dry, unflavoured,
unacceptable.
Statistical Analysis
Data for all parameters measured were
processed and analyzed using SPSS (Statistical
Procedures for Social Sciences) computer package.
Significantly different means were separated using
Duncans Multiple Range Test (Duncan, 1955), in
the same package.
Results and Discussion
The results of performance of the finisher Pigs
fed the experimental diets for a period of twelve
weeks are presented in Table 1 below. The results
did not show any significant (P>0.05) difference in
initial and final weights of the finisher Pigs but
there were significant (P<0.05) differences in
weight gain, average daily feed intake and feed
conversion ratio. The average final live weight
ranged from 35.00 kg to 38.50 kg with the highest
(P<0.05) value obtained in Pigs fed dietary
Treatment 3. Although, there were no significant
differences in the average final weight of the
finisher pigs, those on diets containing different
levels of PKC supplementation appeared to have
higher numerical final live weight values compared
to those on the control diet (0%PKC without
enzyme). This study showed that finisher pigs can
perform better and tolerate up to 60%PKC inclusion
in their diet with or without enzyme
supplementation.
These findings are in agreement with
Adesehinwa (2007) in his study on the utilization of
palm kernel cake as a replacement for maize in diets
of growing pigs as well as that of Amaefule et al.,
(2006). They reported no significant (P>0.05)
differences among the weaner pigs fed different
proportion of PKM and BDG in their final live
weight, daily feed intake and daily weight gain.
According to Akinfala et al., (2002), growth rate,
feed intake and feed conversion of growing pigs
were not significantly (P>0.05) influenced by the
levels of palm kernel cake.

CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS AND MEAT QUALITY OF

Table 1: Performance Characteristics of Finisher Pigs fed Experimental Diets.

Parameters
Treatments
1
2
3
4
(0%PKC (40%PKC (40%PKC (60%PKC
- EZM)
+ EZM)
- EZM)
+ EZM)
Average Initial live weight (kg)
24.00
23.33
24.67
24.83
Average final live weight (kg)
35.00
35.83
38.50
37.83
Average total weight gain (kg)
11.00ab
12.50ab
13.83ab
13.00b
Average daily feed intake (kg)
1.10a
1.07ab
1.06b
1.07ab
Average daily weight gain (kg)
0.13
0.14
0.16
0.15
Feed : gain
8.24
7.43
6.61
7.03
abc

SEM

0.37
0.71
0.50
0.05
0.05
0.26

: Means within rows with different superscripts are significantly (P<0.05) different.

The results of the carcass evaluation as

presented in Table 2 showed that there were no
significant (P>0.05) differences between the mean
carcass characteristics of the finisher pigs as a result
of their different diets containing different levels of
PKC (with or without enzyme supplementation)
inclusion. With the exception of finisher pigs on
diet 4 (60% PKC + enzyme), the dressing
percentage of finisher pigs on the control diet was
lower than that of finisher pigs on the remaining
diets.
The carcass length, expressed as a percentage
of the dressed weight revealed no significant
(P>0.05) differences in all the experimental animals
on the different experimental diets including those

on the control diet. This is an indication that up to

60% palm kernel cake inclusion with or without
enzyme supplementation as replacement for maize
weight for weight in the diets of finisher pigs had no
deleterious effect on carcass quality and organs
weight hence unbiased acceptability by consumers.
The statistically non-significant (P>0.05)
differences in the parameters notwithstanding, some
of the parameters from the finisher pigs on diets
containing palm kernel cake showed some
improvements in quality compared to those on the
control diets. This, according to Amaefule et al.,
(2006) could be attributed to ability to utilize high
percentage of PKC feed for growth by the finisher
pigs.

Table 2: Carcass Characteristics of Finisher Pigs fed Experimental Diets.

Parameters
Treatments
1
2
3
4
(0%PKC (40%PKC (40%PKC (60%PKC
- EZM)
+ EZM)
- EZM)
+ EZM)
Live weight (kg)
41.50
36.50
43.50
36.00
Dressed weight (kg)
31.00
28.50
36.00
26.00
c
ab
a
Dressing percentage
74.71
77.88
82.56
73.87 b
Carcass length (cm)
90.50
85.00
92.50
84.00
Mean back fat (cm)
0.27
0.22
0.27
0.20
abcde

5
(60%PKC
- EZM)
43.00
33.00
76.79ab
94.50
0.27

SEM

1.79
1.60
1.18
2.16
0.01

: Means within rows with different superscripts are significantly (P<0.05) different.

Table 3 below showed the various meat quality

parameters (meat tenderness, juiciness, flavour and
overall acceptability) that were measured. There
were significant (P<0.05) differences between the
tenderness, juiciness and overall acceptability of the
pork from finisher pig fed the different
experimental diets. In rating for meat tenderness,
there were no significant differences (P>0.05)
774

5
(60%PKC
- EZM)
23.33
36.67
13.33c
1.09ab
0.16
6.96

between finisher pigs fed treatment 2 (40% PKC +

enzyme) and treatment 1 (Control 0% PKC enzyme) while there were significant (P<0.05)
differences among the finisher pigs fed the
remaining treatments. In term of juiciness,
significant (P<0.05) differences existed between
finisher pigs fed treatment 5 (60% PKC-enzyme)
and those on dietary treatments 1(Control 0%PKC J. Anim. Pro. Adv., 2015, 5(10): 771-776

OLUWAFEMI R. A.

enzyme), 2 (40% PKC + enzyme), 3 (40% PKC

without enzyme) and 4 (60% PKC + enzyme)
whereas there were no significant (P>0.05)

differences as regards tenderness among these four

treatments.

Table 3: Quality Assessment of Pork from Finisher Pigs fed Experimental Diets.
Meat Quality Characteristics
Treatments
1
2
3
4
(0%PKC (40%PKC (40%PKC (60%PKC
- EZM)
+ EZM)
- EZM)
+ EZM)
a
a
ab
Tenderness
5.91
5.91
5.64
5.27ab
b
b
b
Juiciness
6.36
6.18
6.18
5.82b
a
ab
ab
Flavour
6.82
6.64
5.91
6.36ab
b
b
b
Overall acceptability
7.27
7.00
7.18
6.91b
abc

SEM

0.26
0.20
0.26
0.32

: Means within rows with different superscripts are significantly (P<0.05) different.

The significant differences in these parameters

demonstrated that the different levels of inclusion of
the test ingredient (PKC with or without enzyme
supplementation) affected all the four organoleptic
parameters (tenderness, juiciness, flavour and
overall acceptability) assessed. According to Bratte
and Omeje (2007), tenderness of cooked meat is an
important palatable attribute for consumer
acceptance. Generally, the pork from all
experimental animals fed the different dietary
treatments was adjudged to be very to slightly
tender, juicy and flavoured, and to be very too
highly acceptable. This is in agreement with
Babatunde, et al., (1975) who reported in their
findings that fibrous feeds, because of their lower
content and availability of energy tend to promote
better carcasses with higher lean meat and lower fat
contents.
Conclusion
Enzyme supplementation of the test ingredient
(PKC) in this research became necessary as a result
of findings by many researchers (Akpodiete et al.,
2006, Choct, 2006, Ezieshi and Olomu, 2004,
Lenehan, et al., (2003), Chen et al., (1997) and
David et al., (1997) among others), which
confirmed the presence of B mannan in palm kernel
cake. According to Lenehan et al., (2003), a variety
of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) are present in
the cell wall structure of many feedstuffs, and they
have been shown to diminish growth performance
and inhibit nutrient absorption in swine. Chen et al.,
(1997) reported that growth rate of broilers, ducks
775

5
(60%PKC
- EZM)
4.09b
4.00a
4.91b
2.73a

J. Anim. Pro. Adv., 2015, 5(10): 771-776

and geese were significantly increased by 10%, 1218% and 10-21% respectively by adding enzymes
to cereal-based diets, while Lenehan et al., (2003)
also reported that studies by Oklahoma State
University have suggested that B-mannanase may
improve growth performance in weanling and growfinish pigs, HemicellR was used to supplement the
test ingredient (PKC) in two of the five dietary
treatments used in this study. Hemicell is a patented
fermentation product of Bacillus lentus. The active
ingredient in the fermentation product is B-mannase
(Lenehan et al., 2003). In conclusion, since the
findings of this study indicated that, finisher pigs
could tolerate Palm Kernel Cake (PKC) inclusion
level of up to 60% (with or without enzyme
supplementation) in replacement for maize without
any negative effect on their performance and
carcass characteristics, PKC utilization in swine
ration should be encouraged. This result should also
be used as another basis for further research on the
utilization of PKC for sustainable pig production.
Although, PKC is abundantly available and without
competition, the results of this study did not clearly
show the impact of enzyme supplementation. On
the other hand, partial replacement of maize with
feed ingredient of high fibre content like PKC in
this study is a pointer to the fact that other energy
supplying ingredients should be incorporated to
meet the animals requirement.
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