Carcass characteristics and primal pork cuts of local pig breeds are rarely documented, therefore, the current study was conducted to establish the relation between incremental levels of Amarula oil cake (AOC), carcass traits, primal pork cuts, and relative internal organ weight of Windsnyer pigs. Twenty-five clinically healthy, growing, male Windsnyer pigs with an initial body weight of 19.92 ± 8.74 kg (mean ± standard deviation) were used. Pigs were used in their growing period when they were about 67 days old. The study lasted six weeks excluding one week of adaptation period. Pigs were allotted to pens in a completely randomized design and assigned to each of the five experimental diets, which contained 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 g/kg DM of Amarula oil cake, respectively. Feed and water were offered ad libitum. Post slaughter, data for carcass characteristics, primal pork cuts, and relative organ weights of Windsnyer pigs were analysed using polynomial regression. There was a negative linear relationship between increasing levels of Amarula oil cake, carcass length, warm carcass weight and cold carcass weight. Stomach weight, backfat thickness, drip loss, and the hepatosomatic index increased linearly with increasing levels of Amarula oil cake. The kidneys, small intestines, and large intestine weight had a quadratic response to Amarula oil cake inclusion level. The heart, lungs, and spleen were not related to increasing levels of Amarula oil cake inclusion. Incremental levels of Amarula oil cake diets impaired carcass characteristics and the selected visceral organs, therefore Windsnyer pigs can be fed Amarula oil cake up to100 grams per kilograms dry matter.
"Experientia docet" - Experience is the best teacher