Effects of varying levels of dietary palm oil in concentrate rations on dry matter intake, nutrients digestibility and nitrogen retention in Red Sokoto goats

Abstract

Twenty Red Sokoto bucks (average liveweight of 21.4±3.2 kg) were used to evaluate the effects of varying levels of palm oil (PO) in concentraterations on nutrients digestibility and nitrogen retention. Five iso-nitrogenous concentrate supplements (CP 160 g/kg concentrate) compounded with 0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 g palm oil/kg of concentrate, were used to supplement a basal diet of wooly finger grass (Digitaria smutsii, Stent) hay. The five supplements were designated as treatments 0-PO (control), 40-PO, 80-PO, 120-PO and 160- PO. The bucks were each fed 536 g/d of hay, and 343 g/d of concentrate to give a ratio of 60:40 hay to concentrate. Results showed that inclusion of PO in the concentrate rations did not affect (P>0.05) total dry matter intake of the goats but intake values declined slightly with further increase in levels of PO beyond 40 g/kg concentrate. No adverse effects on total tract digestibility of nutrients were observed. Nitrogen retention of the goats was positive and not affected (P>0.05) by dietary levels of PO. It was concluded that inclusion of palm oil in the concentrate supplement beyond 40 g/kg level for the Red Sokoto goats marginally depressed total dry matter intake, but had no adverse effects on the total tract digestibility of nutrients and nitrogen retention.

Effects of concentrate supplement on dry matter and water intake, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance of N’dama bull calves fed Napier grass basal diet

“…However, increasing the level of concentrate supplementation did not affect the total DM intake of the animals fed the supplemented diets. In contrast to the current study, Otaru et al (2016) observed an increase in dry matter intake with increasing levels of concentrate supplements in the diet. The authors attributed the increased DMI to higher ingestion of protein and energy from the concentrate supplemented at 2.5% body weight, which, in synergy, facilitated rumen bacteria growth to enhance digestion and absorption by the ruminant.…”

“…Moreover, the effect of supplemental concentrate level on DMI demonstrated in this study was consistent with the findings of Mele et al (2008), who discovered that feeding increasing levels of concentrate to goats consuming a basal roughage diet did not influence dry matter intakes. The disparity between this study's findings and those of Otaru et al (2016) could be attributed to forage quality.…”