Carcass and Internal Organs Characteristics of Growing-Finishing Pigs Fed Diets Containing Four Different Maize Varieties

The study was conducted to determine the carcass and internal organ characteristics of growing-finishing pigs fed diets containing four different maize varieties. Twenty individually-housed, Large White pigs (12 males and 8 females) with an average initial body weight of 13.2 kg were allotted to four dietary treatments labeled, Local Normal maize (LNM), Imported Normal Yellow maize (INYM), Golden Jubilee maize (GJM) and Etubi maize (ETM) in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The last two treatments were approved Quality Protein Maize (QPM) based diets. Each treatment was replicated five times, with a pig representing a replicate. Feed and water were provided ad-libitum. Values for the final weight, dressing percentage, shoulder, loin, belly, thigh, carcass length, backfat thickness, head and trotters were statistically similar (P>0.05). However, the values for heart, liver, kidney and respiratory tract were statistically different (P>0.05). The values for the liver (LNM=1.34, IMYM=1.26, GJM=1.51 and ETM=1.52) and the kidney (LNM=0.20, IMYM=0.17, GJM=0.21 and ETM=0.20) were significantly higher in favour of QPM-based diets. The results showed that using GJM and ETM varieties could be more profitable due to premium price placed on liver and lean pork in Ghana.