GRAIN REPLACEMENT VALUE OF CASSAVA AND SWEET POTATOES IN RATIONS FOR GROWING LAMBS.

Abstract

27 LAMBS made up of 24 West African Dwarf (WAD)X Yankasa crosses aged 6 to 7 months old of 11 to 14kg weight and 3 WAD wether sheep, about 3 years old and weighing 34 to 39kg were used in this experiment designed to evaluate the maize replacement value of sweet potato and cassava tubers in sheep diet through energy and protein utilization. Each of the wether sheep carried permanent rumen cannula. The results showed that the maize, sweet potato and cassava based concentrates fed as supplement to grass (Cynodon nlemfuensis) improved the digestibilities of crude fibre, crude protein, organic matter, NFE and N-balance. The treatment effect was significant (P<0.05) with the highest coefficients and N-retention values recorded for Animals fed sweet potato based concentrate. The ruminal VFA's production, ammonia and blood urea levels followed the same trend for all the three energy sources but the treatment effect was not significant. All the parameters so obtained on energy and protein utilization, however, indicated that the dried milled sweet potato and cassava tubers can successfully replace maize grains in sheep diet.