Effect of Kalahari Melon Essential Oil and Butyric Acid on Growth Performance and Protein Utilisation Efficiency in Growing Pigs

A study was conducted to determine the effect of Kalahari melon essential oil and butyric acid growth promoters on growth performance and protein utilisation in growing pigs. Forty growing mixed sex large white weaned piglets were weighed and randomly allocated to five dietary treatments NC-negative control (no growth promoter), PC- (antibiotic growth promoter), KEO-Kalahari melon essential oil (0.4%), BA- butyric acid (0.6%) and KEOA Kalahari melon essential oil (0.4%) + Butyric acid (0.6%) and each pig was considered an experimental unit. Dietary treatments significantly influenced growth performance ( P  < 0.05). Dietary treatment significantly (P < 0.05) affected protein utilisation and growth efficiency. Specific growth rate (SGR) significantly differed (P < 0.0005) for all dietary treatments and growth efficiency (GE) was high in KEOA (4.89 ± 0.12) and lowest in NC (3.72 ± 0.12). The findings indicate that Kalahari melon essential oil and butyric acid growth promoters can influence protein, nutrient utilisation and growth performance at comparable rate as antibiotic growth promoters in growing pigs.