Thorn tree leaves: a nutritious grain substitute in pig feed

Smallholder pig production in Southern Africa is constrained by feed shortages and the demand for grains to feed the ever-growing human population. This makes it important to identify alternative feedstuffs for pigs.

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Including leguminous leaf meal in a pig’s diet can reduce the proportion of soya bean normally used. Acacia leaves, for example, have a relatively high crude protein (CP) and favourable mineral concentration.

A South African study evaluated the nutritive value of Acacia leaf meals and found that finisher pigs fed incremental levels of Acacia tortilis leaf meal showed an increase in both average daily feed intake (ADFI) and average daily gain (ADG).

MATERIALS AND METHOD

Eight trees each of five dominant leguminous species, A. tortilis, A. robusta, A. nilotica, A. nigrescens and A. xanthophloea, were hand-harvested from the same grazing camp at Makhathini Research Station, Jozini.