Growth performance, nutrient digestibility and faecal microbial load of growing pigs fed blood root leaf meal, scent leaf meal, and bamboo charcoal

The indiscriminate use of antibiotic growth promoters in livestock contributes to antimicrobial resistance. Phytogenics are natural, safer and promising alternatives that could improve animal performance. Nevertheless, the effects of phytogenics, such as Blood Root Leaf Meal (BRLM), Scent Leaf Meal (SLM) and Bamboo Charcoal (BC), and their combinations in pig production, have not been adequately evaluated. Therefore, growth performance, nutrient digestibility and faecal microbial load of growing pigs fed combinations of BRLM, SLM, and BC were assessed. Large White Landrace male growing pigs (n48) weighing 28.401.46 kg were assigned to eight dietary treatments in a Completely Randomised Design (CRD, r3) for 42 days. Dietary treatments included a basal diet (control) and basal diet to which one of the following was added: 3 BRLM, 5 SLM, 1 BC, 3 BRLM1 BC, 5 SLM1 BC, 3 BRLM5 SLM, or 3 BRLM5 SLM1 BC. Average Daily Gain (ADG) and Gain to Feed Ratio (GainFeed) were computed. Faecal samples were collected to determine nutrient digestibility and bacterial load. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics and ANOVA at α0.05. Pigs fed with control, 1 BC, and 5 SLM1 BC diets had higher ADG (275.00 gpig, 292.00 gpig, and 267.00 gpig, respectively) than other treatment groups. Pigs fed 5 SLM diet had lower crude protein digestibility (56.28) compared to other treatments. When faecal microbial load was analysed Escherichia coli count was lowest 4.00 cfug) in growing pigs fed 3 BRLM. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of blood root leaf meal, scent leaf meal and bamboo charcoal singly reduced faecal Escherichia coli count of growing pigs. However, combined treatments increased microbial loads, suggesting potential antagonistic interactions. The supplementation of blood root leaf meal, scent leaf meal, and bamboo charcoal in growing pigs diets did not improve average daily gain or gain-to-feed ratio.