No abstract

Fifteen West African Dwarf grower bucks of about 6-8 months of age and average weights of 8.39 kg were used in a 70-day study to assess the intake and blood profile of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats fed diets containing graded levels of treated sweet orange peel meal (TSOPM), in a completely randomized design. Sweet orange peels were collected from sweet orange retailers within Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. The peels were packed into synthetic bags, compressed, and allowed to ferment for 12 h before sun-drying. The sun-dried peels were crushed into a meal and used to compound four treatments diets which consisted of 0, 60, and 80% TSOPM, designated diets A, B, and C respectively. Results showed that there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) among the treatments in all the performance parameters except in the total forage intake values in which treatment A (19.74 kg) was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than treatment B (21.77 kg) and treatment C (21.96 kg). But between treatment B and treatment C, there was no difference. Effect of treatments was also not apparent on the haematological indices measured, but the serum biochemical parameters showed significant difference (P < 0.05) among the treatments for total protein values. The total protein value for treatment C (8.02 g/dl) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than treatments A (7.10 g/dl) and B (6.62 g/dl). The study showed that treated sweet orange peel meal can be used up to 80% level to replace maize offal in the diets of goats without adverse effects on the performance blood indices.

No abstract

No abstract

A total of sixteen West African grower bucks of about 7-10 months were used in a completely randomised design to assess the effect of feeding diets with high levels of water soaked sweet orange peel meal (WSSOPM) on the performance response and blood profile of West African dwarf goats. Collected sweet orange peels were soaked in water and drained after 24 hours. The peels were then sun-dried on concrete floors for 48hour and afterwards crushed into a meal using a feed milling machine. The WSSOPM was used to compound four(4) experimental diets containing 0%, 60%, 80% and 100% WSSOPM, these were designated treatment T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively. Each treatment had four (4) replicate. The study lasted for 11weeks. Results showed that, the mean daily feed intake, mean daily weight gain and the feed conversion ratio of the goats did not show treatment effect (P>0.05) among the treatments. The cost analysis showed that profitability increased with increasing levels of WSSOPM in the diets. The blood parameters measured did not show treatment effect, except the albumin values in which T2 (3.53g/dL) was higher than T1 (2.80 g/dL), T3 (2.68 g/dL) and T4(2.55 g/dL).The mineral indices measured showed variations (P<0.05) in only potassium values, treatment effect was not apparent on the serum calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and zinc values. Water soaked sweet orange peel meal can be used to replace maize offal at 60%, 80% and 100 % in the diets of West African dwarf goats without negatively affecting both performance and blood indices.

No abstract

'b' and 'a+b' (30.88 and 38.59

A total of twenty (20) growing WAD bucks of about 7 - 9 months and having average weight of 9.64 kg were used in an 84 day trial to investigate the performance response of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats fed diets containing cowpea husk (CPH). Cowpea husk used for the study was collected from Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. Four experimental diets were formulated to replace maize offal with cowpea husk and designated A (0%), B (25%), C (50%), and D (75%) and used to feed the bucks. Results showed that none of the performance parameters showed treatment effect (P>0.05). The mean daily weight gain was 56.55 g/day, 52.75 g/day, 42.81 g/day and 50.49 g/day for diets A, B, C and D respectively. The mean daily feed intake ranged between 458.40 g/day -503.00 g/day, with treatments D and B having the highest and lowest numerical values, respectively. The apparent nutrient digestibility coefficient of dry matter (DM), crude fibre (CF), ash, nitrogen free extract (NFE) showed significant differences (P<0.05) among the treatments and some crude fibre fractions like neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) were significantly different (P<0.05) among the treatments means. The concentrate feed cost/kg diet was between ₦63.85-₦73.74. The cost/kg weight gain was best for treatment B (₦617.05). The production efficiency was less than one for all the treatments. Cowpea (vigna unguiculata) husk can be used in the diets of West African dwarf goats without adverse effect on the performance indices and profitability.