ISSN 2756-388X
International Journal of Plant and Animal Sciences ISSN: 2167-0437 Vol. 4(2), pp. 123-130, February, 2016. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Nutrient utilization and growth performance of West African Dwarf goats fed with elephant grass or different proportions of plantain and mango peels
Bolaji T. A1*, Ebinabor G.E2 and Okorare B. K3
1Department of Animal Science, Ambrose Alli University, P.M.B. 14, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria.
2Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
3Department of Animal Science, Bayero University, P.M.B. 3011, Kano State, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].
Accepted June 24, 2013
Abstract
Eighteen West African dwarf goats balanced for weight (6.00±0.57 kg) were fed with elephant grass and different proportions of dried plantain with mango peels to evaluate their intake, growth rate, nitrogen and energy utilization. Goats were assigned to three dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with six goats per treatment. The compared dietary treatments were as follows; TA (elephant grass and concentrate in a ratio of 63:32), TB and TC (combination of dried plantain with mango peels and concentrates in a ratio of 55:13:32 and 50:18:32 respectively). The results showed that TA was significantly (P<0.05) best in crude fibre intake (67.51 g/day), neutral and acid detergent fibre intake (49.01 and 29.58 g/day), urinary nitrogen output 3.62 g/day), faecal and total energy output (185.25 and 220.45 Kcal/g/day). Ether extract intake (9.92g/day) was significantly (P<0.05) highest in TB compared to TA and TC. The total (23970 g) and daily (285.36 g/day) feed intake, average daily feed intake (15.83 g/day), final body weight (9384.00 g), daily weight gain (33.67 g and 13.98 BW0.75), nitrogen intake (21.75g/day), faecal nitrogen output (10.09 g/day), nitrogen balance (9.37 g/day and 5.36 BW0.75), nitrogen retention (0.43 g/day and 43.08%), gross energy intake (1896.02 Kcal/g/day), digestible energy intake (90.59 Kcal/g/day) and metabolizable energy intake (82.21 Kcal/g/day and 27.30 BW0.75) were highest in TC and significantly differed from the other treatments. Significant differences (P>0.05) did not occur in organic matter intake, feed conversion ratio, metabolizability and ME:DE ratio among the treatment groups. It is concluded that dried plantain with mango peels and concentrate in a ratio of 50:18:32 has the potential to enhance nutrient utilization and growth performance of West African dwarf goats.
Key words: Plantain peels, mango peels, nutrient utilization, dwarf goats.