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A study was conducted using 20 Bunaji bulls with a live weight range of 210-249kg and age range of 2-3 years to evaluate the feeding value of raw or parboiled rice offal as energy source for bull fattening. Four bulls per treatment were allotted to five dietary treatments in a 2x2 factorial arrangement with a common control. Feeding trials was conducted for 90 days. A concentrate and basal diets of Digitaria smutsii were offered at 2% body weight. The proximate and mineral composition of the feed ingredients showed that raw rice offal (RRO) had 7.69% CP, 6.64% hemicellulose and 24.86% silica while parboiled rice offal had (PRO) 4.38% CP, 6.10% hemicellulose and 36.91% silica. The CP contents of the experimental diets vary between 19.69 and 20.44% while the ME ranged from 10.86 to 11.16MJ/kg DM. The crude fibre varies from 14.59 to 17.84%. The result of the fattening trial showed that there was no significant (P>0.05) difference in concentrate, hay, total dry matter intakes and daily weight gain of bulls fed the control diet (NRO) and diets containing RRO and PRO. Inclusion level of rice offal had no significant effect (P>0.05) on intake of concentrate, hay and total feed intake. However, live weight gain of the bulls on the control diet was significantly (P<0.05) higher than bulls on 20 and 30% rice offal inclusion The intake of concentrate, hay, total feed and daily live weight gain of the bulls were similar (P>0.05) irrespective of type and inclusion levels of the rice offal. All the bulls experimented attained an average weight gain of between 1.11Kg to 1.29Kg which was above 1Kg. Economic parameters such as cost per Kg gain, net benefit (NB) and return to naira invested on feed (RIF) were similar (P>0.05) for bulls on both RRO and PRO. There was no significant (P>0.05) differences in the Value of weight gain (VWG), NB, RIF, Cost of feed and Cost per Kg gain for bulls on varying levels of inclusion of RRO or PRO. The inclusion of raw rice offal or parboiled rice offal lead to reduction in feed cost from N25,001.10 to a range of N22,115.50-N23,639.6 (about 5.45%-11.54% reduction in feed cost). It was concluded from this trial that rice offal of all kind (raw or parboiled) may be used to replace up to 30% of maize offal as source of energy in the fattening diet of Bunaji bulls without any detrimental effect on live weight. Hence it can be adopted by farmers.

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The use of browse plants as supplement have been shown to enhance intake, improve growthrate and increase reproduction in ruminants. However, most of these forage trees have notbeen widely used because they often contain anti-nutritional compounds that havedeleterious effects on animal performance Moringa oleifera and Gmelina arborea arewidely distributed in many locations in the tropics. Moringa oleifera and Gmelina arboreaare promising plants which could contribute to increased intake of some essential nutrientsand health-promoting phytochemicals and also provide cheaper alternative forages of highquality for ruminants. The study was carried out to investigate the effect of mixed Gmelinaarborea and Moringa oleifera (GMMO) leaf meal inclusion on the growth performance andblood profile of goats fed Digitaria smutsii hay based diets. Twenty intact Red Sokoto bucksbetween 4-5 months of age with an average weight of 12.00 kg were used. The bucks wererandomly allocated to four treatments with five animals per treatment in a completelyrandomized design. Gmelina arborea and Moringa oleifera leaf meals were mixed at ratio of75 and 25% respectively and included at 0, 10, 20 and 30% in a 40% Digitaria smutsii haybase. Each level of inclusion serves as a dietary treatment. The parameters measured werefeed intake, body weight gain, haematological and biochemical constituents. Feed cost andproximate analysis of GMMO were also carried out. The results showed that inclusion ofGMMO leaf meal improved dry matter intake of bucks. Dry matter intake ranged from310.28 g/d in T to 372.61 g/d in T . Weight gain and average daily gain were significant 1 3(P<0.05) higher in bucks fed 20% GMMO leaf meal (4.20kg and 46.67 g/d) respectively thanthe other treatments. Regression analysis showed 25% inclusion as the optimal level ofGMMO leaf meal inclusion in the diets of growing bucks. The haematological andbiochemical parameters of Red Sokoto bucks measured were within the normal range forhealthy goats. The cost-benefit analysis showed that goats fed 20% GMMO leaf meal gavemore profit than those on other treatments. Net profit was highest in 20% followed by 30%,10% and 0% inclusion (N1108.30, N 853.90, N506.20 and N485.00) respectively. This studyconcludes that the mixture of gmelina and moringa leaf meal can be included at 25% in thediets of Red Sokoto bucks for improved productivity.

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The prevalence and seasonality of animal health problems encountered in Sokoto Gudali cattle over a 10 year period (1988-1998) is reported. Out of a total of 304 cases observed, Streptothricosis accounted for (15.1%), Gastroenteritis, 37 (14.5%), Pinkeye 14 (13.5%), Helminthosis 37 (12.2%) traumatic injury 37 (12.2%) Recumbeney 21 (6.9%), Retained placenta 14 (4.6%) Footrot 8 (2.6%) and Abscesses 7 (2.3%). Notable among the conditions that showed remarkable seasonality in prevalence are streptothricosis, footrot, pinkeye, heartwater, helminthosis and trpanosomosis which occurred during the rainy season, while cases of gastroenteritis, foot and mouth disease, pneumonia, abscesses and recumbency occurred during the dry season. This study gives an indication of some of the common animal health problems usually encountered under a semi-intensive cattle production system and the need for effective animal health care.