author(s)
N Manoranjan Singh, L Anandakumar Singh, L Vandana Kumari, G Kadirvel and M Patir

abstract
This study was performed to investigate the effect of dietary supplement of molasses as summer feed on growth performance and blood cortisol profile of growing pigs to ameliorate the adverse effect of heat stress. A total of twenty-four, (75% Hampshire × 25% Niang Megha) crossbred grower pigs (3.5 months old; average body weight : 18.57±0.67 kg) were randomly divided into two homogenous groups viz., T1 (Control) : CP:17.17% and ME:3320.6 kcal/kg and T2 as basal diet with 11% Molasses ; CP: 15.31% ; ME: 3376 Kcal/kg; n=12 pigs per treatment in a completely randomized design for 90 days experimental periods. All the two groups diet were isocaloric in nature and fulfilled requirement as per NRC (2012). The results supplemented treatments had significant differences in average dry matter intake (1416±2.03 vs 1386±2.12 g/d), body weight gain (37.70±0.16 vs 35.24±0.06kg) and average daily weight gain (418±4.03 vs 391±4.08g/d) as compared to control. Better (P<0.001) feed conversion ratio (3.38 vs 3.54) was observed in the supplemented treatments and also significant (P<0.01) reduce serum cortisol (3.33vs 3.60 µg/dL) than the control group. It could be concluded that formulated summer feeds affect growth performance but also improving the feed intake and lowered the blood cortisol profile in treated growing pigs during summer. It could be best option as energy sources have to be developed based on nutritive value and anti-stress property of the existing feed resources and increasing pig production under sub-tropical region of north eastern India.