After 14 days of feeding the grower native pigs with regular diet plus taro and water spinach, regular diet plus taro and regular diet plus water spinach, the bacterial count in the feces of these experimental animals revealed significant differences. The consistency of feces of grower native pigs in treatments 1, 2 and 3 during the initial feces collection were 2.00, 2.33, and 1.33 respectively and revealed a significant difference.

The consistency of the feces in treatment 2 had obviously showed an increase in the number of bacteria present in the feces. The consistency score of feces during the second collection in all treatments were all the same which is 1.66. The consistency and the bacterial count in all the treatments were not significant statistically.

It was revealed that regular diet with water spinach may affect the consistency of the feces which may also be related to the bacterial count.

However, consistency of the feces as affected by the diet may not always disclose an increase in bacterial count as manifested in the study.

Thesis (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine)

Includes appendices and bibliographical references.