The study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding different levels of dried cassava leaves at 0%, 20%, 40% and 60%, respectively, using guinea grass as basal feed, on the haematological and serum biochemical parameters of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats. The study lasted for 116 days during which haematological and serum biochemical parameters were monitored in 40 male goats before and after, using a completely randomized design. At the start of the experiment, packed cell volume (PCV) ranged from 21.5% to 25.5% while haemoglobin concentration (Hb) and RBC significantly (P < 0.01) ranged from 7.3 to 8.6 g/dl and 10.4 to 13.2 × 10(12)/l, respectively. White blood cells reduced significantly (P < 0.05)) from 16.4 to 11.7 × 10(9)/l) as dried cassava leaves increased in the diets. At the end of the trial, there was a slight increase in the values of PCV and Hb in the diets (P > 0.05). Lymphocyte reduced significantly (P < 0.05) from 50.0% to 63.5% in the diets. Neutrophils, however, increased (P > 0.05) at the 0% to 40% levels and reduced at the 60% level of dried cassava leaves inclusion. At the start of the experiment, values for glucose significantly (P < 0.05) ranged from 40.1 to 56.0 mg/dl. Total protein and albumin values ranged significantly (P < 0.05) from 56.0 to 68.5 g/dl and 30.6 to 38.4 g/dl, respectively. At the end of the experiment, serum creatinine increased significantly (P < 0.05) as the level of dried cassava leaves increased from 0% to 60% in the diets. The study revealed that inclusion of dried cassava leaves in the diets of West African Dwarf goats had no deleterious effects on the haematological and serum biochemical parameters of WAD goats and could therefore be included in ruminant diets up to 60%.

This experiment investigated the effect of dietary monensin on performance, nutrient utilisation, rumen volatile fatty acid and blood status in West African dwarf (WAD) goats fed with basal diets of forages. Four concentrate supplements were formulated to include 0 (MO), 15 (M15), 30 (M30) and 45 (M45) mg monensin/kg dry matter. Twenty-four WAD bucks (7.3 ± 1.20 kg initial body weight, aged 9-12 months) were randomly allotted to four experimental diets in a completely randomised design for 90 days, six animals per diet. Results indicated that animals fed M15, M30 and M45 diets had lower (P < 0.01) dry matter and water intake than those fed M0 diet. Crude protein and neutral detergent fibre intakes by the bucks followed similar trend. Animals on M15, M30 and M45 had better (P < 0.001) feed and protein efficiency ratio than those fed M0 diet. Rumen pH and total volatile fatty acid concentration were maintained (P > 0.05) while monensin decreased (P < 0.001) acetate/propionate ratio. Blood glucose increased (P < 0.001) from 59.1 mg/dl in animals on M0 diet to 67.8, 66.0 and 66.3 mg/dl in animals on M15, M30 and M45 diets. Overall, there were no variations among animals on M15, M30 and M45 diets. It is concluded that feeding monensin at 15 to 45 mg/kg DM of supplemental concentrate diets to West African dwarf bucks could be effective in improving feed and protein efficiency, manipulating the rumen for increased propionate production and increasing blood glucose levels.

The effect of browse plants (Piliostigma thonningii, Daniellia oliveri, Afzelia africana, Pterocarpus erinaceus and Annona senegalensis) supplementation on nutrient intake, digestibility, nutritive value and N utilization and growth performance of buckling goats fed threshed sorghum top (TST) was investigated using 24 Red Sokoto goats (9.0 ± 0.25 kg) body weight (BW) which were randomly assigned to one of the six diets in a completely random design. Intakes of dry matter (DM) and nutrients, feed conversion ratio, digestibility of nutrients except for neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF), digestible organic matter (DOM), digestible crude protein (DCP), energy concentration, N utilization and average daily gain were superior (P < 0.05) in TST-supplemented diets compared to sole TST diet. Among the supplemental fodders, intakes of forage, DM, condensed tannins and most of the nutrients; digestibility of DM, crude protein (CP) and non-fibre carbohydrate, DOM and DCP; and N absorbed, balance and retention were greater (P < 0.05) in A. africana relative to the other fodders. Results indicate that the entire browse fodders are good supplements to low quality TST, though A. africana appears to have a better nutritive value.

SUMMARYA study was conducted to investigate the effects of different additives on the fermentation quality of ensiled cassava leaves and its effects on the ruminal fluid parameters using eighteen West African dwarf goats. Cassava leaves were ensiled alone (ECF), with 5 % (w/w) molasses (ECFM) and caged layer waste (ECFP) respectively as additives for 30 days. Results of chemical composition of the additive and non-additive silages indicated that ensiling with 5 % molasses reduced the DM content from 252.4 g/kg in ECF to 238.9 g/ kg in ECFM and increased with 5 % caged layer waste (ECFP) to 267.6 g/kg. The CP content of ECF was 207.6 g/kg and this decreased to 198.5 g/kg DM in ECFM. Addition of molasses and caged layer waste caused a reduction in the HCN contents from 95.8 mg/kg in non-additive silage (ECF) to 89.3 mg/kg in ECFP and 84.7 mg/kg in ECFM. The mean pH of non-additive silage of 3.66 was significantly (p<0.05) different from the value of 4.29 in ECFP. Animals fed silage ensiled with molasses (ECFM) had a DM intake of 503.42 g/d, followed by values of 485.17 g/d and 458.43 g/d for animals fed ECF and ECFP respectively. Crude protein intake was similar in ECF and ECFM but higher (p<0.05) than ECFP and ranged from 161.28-172.71 g/d. The ruminal fluid parameters indicated no significant differences (p>0.05) in the pH, BC and lactic acid concentration in both the nonadditive and additive silages. Ammonia-nitrogen concentration (NH 3 -N) however, ranged significantly (p<0.05) from 15.93 ± 0.20 (mg/dL) in ECF to 22.43 ± 0.61 (mg/dL) in ECFP. The study showed that ensiling cassava leaves with 5 % molasses and caged layer waste improved the silage conditions and the ruminal fluid parameters of West African Dwarf goats. RESUMENSe realizó un estudio para investigar los efectos de diferentes aditivos sobre la calidad de la fermentación de ensilaje de hojas de yuca y sus efectos sobre los parámetros del fluido ruminal en dieciocho cabras Enanas de África Occidental. Las hojas de yuca fueron ensiladas, durante 30 días, solas (ECF) y con adición de 5 % de melaza (ECFM) o excretas de ponedoras en batería (ECFP) como aditivos. La adición de 5 % de melaza redujo el contenido de materia seca, 252,4 g/kg en ECF, a 238,9 g/kg en ECFM; con adición de 5 % de excretas (ECFP) la MS aumentó hasta 267,6 g/kg. El nivel de PB (207,6 g/kg en ECF) disminuyó a 198,5 g/kg en ECFM. Tanto la adición de melazas Archivos de zootecnia vol. 63, núm. 243, p. 450

Twenty West African dwarf (WAD) rams with average body weight of 12.43 ± 0.5 kg were used for the experiment that lasted 84 days to investigate the effects of supplementing herbaceous forage legume pellets on weight change and blood profile of animals fed Panicum maximum basal diet. Sole Panicum maximum served as the control diet and three other experimental diets were P. maximum supplemented with Lablab purpureus pellets, P. maximum supplemented with Calopogonium mucunoides pellets and P. maximum supplemented with Mucuna pruriens pellets constituted the four treatments which were arranged in a completely randomised design. The rams were divided into four groups of five animals each and were balanced for variation in live weight before they were assigned the experimental diets. Panicum maximum was offered to the animals ad libitum and legume pellets were supplemented. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in weight gain of the rams. Those fed the control diet had the lowest value of 41.88 g/day while rams supplemented L. purpureus pellets had the highest value (83.66 g/ day). Haematological parameters, leucocyte values and serum biochemical indices of WAD rams were significantly (P < 0.05) different across the dietary treatments at the final stage of the trial. The values for red blood cells, haemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin decreased slightly in rams supplemented with M. pruriens pellets. Reduction of serum biochemical parameters was also noticed in rams supplemented with M. pruriens pellets. It can be concluded that L. purpureus pellets ranked the best among the herbaceous legume pellets as supplemental feed for West African dwarf sheep resulting in higher weight gain and better feed conversion efficiency with no deleterious effect on blood profile.