Nutritional value and intake of aquatic ferns (Azolla filiculoides Lam. and Salvinia molesta Mitchell.) in sows

• DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2009.10.002
• Publication Date: 2009-11-13T04:38:05Z
• Authors: Pascal Leterme; Angela M. Londoño; Diana C. Ordoñez; Alejandra Rosales; Fernando Estrada; Jérôme Bindelle; André Buldgen
• Keywords: Azolla

Abstract Aquatic ferns (AFs) such as Azolla filiculoides and Salvinia molesta are grown on swine lagoons in the tropics and used in diets for pigs. The present work is aimed at evaluating their potential as feed ingredients for sows. When presented with ad libitum AFs, gilts weighing 110 ± 14 kg (mean ± SD), were able to ingest 9.1–9.7 kg fresh AF per day (from 597 to 630 g dry matter (DM) per day) and from 1240 to 1428 g DM per day when presented in a dry, ground form. A digestibility study was conducted, using sows weighing 213 ± 9 kg (mean ± SD), which were fed diets containing maize, soybean meal and 0, 150 or 300 g AF kg−1 diet. The presence of AFs had a negative impact on the faecal digestibility of the crude protein, NDF and energy content of the whole diet (P 0.05) but increased the weight of the rest of the gastrointestinal tract (P