DOI: 10.36347/sjavs.2015.v02i03.007

Pages: 187-194

A 112 day trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of zinc oxide (ZnO) and copper sulphate (CuSO4) as growth promotants in weaner pigs. The study was carried out at the piggery unit, department of Animal Science, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. Eighteen (18) weaner pigs with average initial weight of 11.47kg ± 0.03kg of mixed sexes aged between 8-9 weeks were randomly assigned to three experimental treatment diets in a completely randomized design (CRD). Each treatment was replicated thrice with two animals per replicate. Each group was fed with one of experimental diets for four months. In treatment one (control), no growth promoter was applied in their feed. Treatment two (T2) was given feed mixed ZnO at 200ppm, while treatment three (T3) was given feed mixed with CuSO4 at 200ppm. Their daily feed intake and weekly weight gain were determined and recorded. At the end of the experiment, their blood samples were collected for laboratory analysis of haematology. The result showed that there was significant difference (p<0.05) in daily feed intake and weekly weight gain between T2 and T3, and the control (T1). T3 showed the best feed conversion ratio followed by T2. There was also a significant difference (p<0.05) in red blood cell (RBC) count and packed cell volume (PCV) between pigs on growth promoters and the control. However, white blood cell (WBC) count and Haemoglobin concentration (Hb) showed no significant difference (p>0.05) between the three treatments. It is therefore recommended that though zinc oxide and copper sulphate can be effectively used as growth promoters in weaner pigs, copper sulphate is the best.