The Effect of Dietary Addition of Potato Hash Silage on Carcass Traits of Grower Pigs.

The aim of the study was to assess carcass traits of cross-breed (Landrace X Large White) pigs fed potato hash silage (PHS) based diets ensiled with or without lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculants. Diets containing 40 % PHS [untreated PHS (UPHS), bonsilage forte treated PHS (BFPHS), and Lalsil Fresh LB treated PHS (LFLBPHS)] and (control- commercial diet) and were formulated and fed to thirty-two pigs (16 males and 16 females of 130 days old and 56±4kg live weight). The pigs were fed for a period of two months. The pigs were slaughtered and carcass characteristics were evaluated. Pigs on the control diet had heavier slaughter weight than those that fed on diets that contained PHS. There were no differences in warm and cold carcass weights between diets containing PHS. Drip loss %, back-fat thickness, and weights of the gastrointestinal tract, lungs and heart weights did not differ between treatments. It was concluded that dietary inclusion of PHS did not improve carcass traits when compared to the control. Further work that will evaluate the effects of > 40% dietary inclusion of PHS on meat quality of porkers and baconers is needed.