Utilization of Tuna Waste Silage as a Novel Pig Feed Ingredient

Abstract

Tunas are commercially important fishes, widely
distributed throughout the tropical and temperate
waters. During processing and development of
various value added products from tuna, large
quantity of solid waste is generated in the form of
viscera, gills, dark muscle, head, bone and skin. In
this study, waste generated from tuna processing was
converted into a liquid protein source by ensilation
and its performance as a novel protein source for
pigs was evaluated. Feed was prepared by mixing
rice bran and tuna waste silage in 7:3 ratio and drying
at 60oC in an electrical drier for 12 h. The feed has
crude protein 20%, crude fat 22%, ash content 8% and
moisture content of 7%. The feed was found to be
rich in essential dietary amino acids (lysine, tryptophan,
threonine and methionine) and fatty acid
(oleic and linoleic acid). Feeding trials on thirty six
weaned large white Yorkshire piglets by incorporating
tuna waste silage for a period of 104 days showed
that this can be used as an efficient feed for pigs.