GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF RED SOKOTO BUCKS FED DRIED AND ENSILED Leptadenia hastata (Yadiya) FORAGE IN A TOTAL MIXED RATION IN NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNAH OF NIGERIA
GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF RED SOKOTO BUCKS FED DRIED AND ENSILED Leptadenia hastata (Yadiya) FORAGE IN A TOTAL MIXED RATION IN NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNAH OF NIGERIA
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Date
2021
Authors
MUHAMMAD, Buhari Kudu
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Abstract
The study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance of Red Sokoto Buck fed dried or ensiled Leptadenia hastata forage in a Total Mixed Ration at the Department of Animal Science Teaching and Research Farm Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. A total of 16 Red Sokoto bucks weighing between 12-15±0.5, kg were used for the experiment. The study consisted of four treatments with four animals in each treatment in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD).Treatment I served as the control diet with no L. hastata forage, treatment II contained dried L. hastata forage, treatment III contained Ensiled L. hastata and treatment IV contained a combination of dried and ensiled L. hastata (50:50) all in a Total Mixed Ration. The animals were fed 3% of their body weights daily and water was provided ad-libitum for a period of ninety (90) days for growth performance, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, heamatological parameters, serum parameters, lipid profile and economic analysis. Results of the growth performance showed that there were significant differences (P<0.05) in total weight gain, average daily weight gain, total feed intake, average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio. However, final weights were not significantly different (P>0.05) across the dietary treatments. The digestibility coefficients of diet containing ensiled L. hastata had significantly (P<0.05) higher dry matter (66.17%), crude protein (83.67%), crude fibre (68.57%), ash (80.77%), ether extract (80.97%) and nitrogen free extract (72.57%) digestibility compared to other treatments. Results of nitrogen balance showed there were significant differences (P<0.05) in all the measured parameters across the dietary treatments. Nitrogen intake was higher for bucks fed Ensiled L. hastata diet and least for those fed combination (50:50) of dried and Ensiled L. hastata. Results of haematological parameters showed there were significant (P<0.05) differences in packed cell volume (PCV%), haemoglobin (hbmg/dl), red blood cells (RBCx1012/L), white blood cells (WBCx109/L), neutrophils (%), while lymphocytes(%), eosinophil(%), monocyte(%), basophils(%) and mean corpuscular volume(MCV fl) were not different (P>0.05) across the treatments. Lipid profile result showed there were significant differences (P<0.05) in all the measured parameters across the dietary treatments. High density lipoprotein (HDL) was significantly (P<0.05) higher in Red Sokoto bucks fed dried L. hastata. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) and tryglycerides were significantly (P<0.05) higher in Red Sokoto Bucks fed dried, ensiled and mixtures of L.hastata. Lowest cost/Kg gain and higher return on investment was observed in animals fed diet containing ensiled L. hastata. It was therefore concluded that L. hastata forage had effect on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, haematological parameters and lipid profile of Red Sokoto Bucks.It was also observed that addition of L. hastata forage in diets of Red Sokoto bucks is cost effective
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A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES,AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ANIMAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SCIENCE FACULTY OF AGRICULTUREAHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA, NIGERIA