Abstract
Twenty (20) growing west African dwarf goats were confined and fed concentrate diets containing 0% (T1), 10% (T2), 15% (T3) and 20% (T4) steam-treated cashew nut shell at 100g/goat/day to determine the effect of cashew nut shell on by-products of the goats` carcass, the experiment lasted for 100days after an adjustment period of 14 days, the goats were served water ad Libitum. Fresh bamboo leaves were fed at 300g/goat/day 2 hours before the concentrate. At the end of the feeding trial three (3) goats from each treatment were slaughtered, dressed and the respective by-products to be determined were cut off, weighed and converted to percentage of slaughter weight the experimental design was a completely randomized design data obtained were subjected to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and significant treatment means were separated using Least Significant Difference (LSD) option of SPSS version 16 of 2006 edition. Samples of browse species and the supplement diets were analyzed for their proximate composition using standard procedure (AOAC, 1995). Daily supplement intake and total daily dry matter intake values ranged from 4461g(T4)-91.54g(T<sub>1</sub>) and 216.75(T<sub>4</sub>)-258.99g(T<sub>2</sub>) and were significantly p>0.05 different. Daily forage intake values ranged from 165.07(T<sub>1</sub>)-176.10(T<sub>3</sub>) were not significantly (p>0.05) different. The weight for the full gut, empty gut, gut content, hooves and blood were not significantly (p, 0.05) different. However abdominal fat weight ranged from 0.17%-0.24% and showed significant (p<0.05)different. It was concluded that cashew nut shell up to 20% level of inclusion had no significant effect on nearly all the bye-products of west African dwarf goats. It was therefore recommended that further research should use higher levels of inclusion of cashew nut shell as well as using other species of ruminant such as sheep and cattle.
Highlights
During the dry season the natural pastures and crop residue available for ruminants after crop harvest are usually fibrous and devoid of most essential nutrients including protein, energy, minerals and vitamins which are required for increased rumen microbial fermentation and improved performance [9]
The diets fed to the experimental goats were adequate in terms of nutrients
The control (T1) diet was most palatable for the experimental goats, the highest feed intake, while 14 was the least palatable
Summary
During the dry season the natural pastures and crop residue available for ruminants after crop harvest are usually fibrous and devoid of most essential nutrients including protein, energy, minerals and vitamins which are required for increased rumen microbial fermentation and improved performance [9]. Inadequate feeding is a major setback to ruminant’s livestock production Nigeria. This has often led to low milk and meal production, high mortality of young stock and low growth rate [8]. The problems of livestock production in developing countries are becoming more critical with population explosion as well as inconsistency in government policy formulation and implementation [14]. Good quality feeds needed to sustain ruminant growth during the long dry season has been a major challenge to the industry in developing countries. Good quality feeds needed to sustain ruminant growth during the long dry season has been a major challenge to the industry in developing countries. [1]
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