23The productivity of indigenous goats in Africa is constrained by shortage of protein-24 rich feed especially in winter. This study investigated the nutritional value of mucuna 25 forage (MF) and seed meal (MSM) as alternative protein sources for indigenous 26 goats. Mucuna was planted in 3 parallel and adjacent fields and its foliage nutritional 27 composition determined at 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks after planting (WAP). MF was 28 harvested at 14 WAP whilst mucuna pods were harvested at 28 -30 WAP, shelled 29 and the MSM chemically analysed. In a completely randomised design (CRD), 20 30 indigenous goats were randomly offered 5 treatment diets with, respectively, 0%, 31 25%, 50% and 100% MF and 100% MSM replacing broiler litter (BL), each with 4 32 replicates, for 82 days. Both mucuna foliage DM and CF contents increased (P < 33 0.001) whilst foliage CP, EE and ash contents decreased (P<0.001) with maturity.
34On the other hand, MSM contained high DM (90.7%), EE (3.7% DM) and CP (26.0% 35 DM) but low CF (9.7% DM) and ash (5.5% DM) contents. Both body weight gain 36 (BWG) and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) were not influenced by dietary mucuna 37 incorporation (P > 0.05). However, dietary MF, particularly at the 100% level, 38 decreased goat feed intake (FI) (P < 0.001) whilst 100% MSM increased (P < 0.001) 39 this parameter. Mucuna had no effect on all carcass characteristics (P > 0.05) but 40 increased (P < 0.05), particularly at the 100% MSM level, hot carcass weight and 41 dressing percentage. There were no effects of mucuna on all biochemical and 42 haematological indices (P > 0.05), except for the increase in serum glucose (P < 43 0.05). In conclusion, the optimal stage for harvesting and utilisation of MF is between 44 12 and 16 WAP and both MF and MSM, particularly the latter, are rich alternative 45 protein sources for indigenous goats. 46 3 47 Keywords: Mucuna pruriens forage and seed meal, nutritional composition, 48 performance, biochemical and physiological indices, indigenous goats.49 50 Introduction 51 The world goat population is ~921 million, >90% of which are found in developing 52 countries [1]. Of these, ~352 million goats are in Africa [2], >90% of which are owned 53 by smallholder farmers [3]. The major concentration of goats in Africa is in the sub-54 Saharan region with 60% of the total goat population representing ~80 indigenous 55 breeds raised under various production systems [3]. Indigenous goats (Capra hircus) 56 play important roles mainly in terms of food and nutrition security, poverty alleviation, 57 and cultural life of smallholder rural-based farmers and societies in Africa [4, 5, 6].
58They provide immediate benefits in the form of meat, milk, leather, cash income, 59 manure and other miscellaneous products to the poor in communal areas [5, 7] and 60 also play a pivotal role in traditional ceremonies [6, 8]. They generally have small to 61 medium frame with short horns and a variety of coat colours [4, 9]. Unlike the Boer 62 and dairy goats, indigenous goats remain rather un...
