Mineral and fibre intake of West African dwarf sheep fed boiled cocoa seed testa and sorghum malt dust in cassava root meal based diets

Abstract

The study was carried out to investigate the mineral and fibre intake of Sheep fed Cocoa Seed Testa (CST) and Sorghum Malt Dust (SMD) in cassava root meal based diets. The feeding trial was conducted on the feed intake response of West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep in a completely randomized experimental design using boiled CST and SMD based-diets. A total of twenty-eight sheep were randomly allocated to 11 – 13 months of age of CST at 10, 20 and 30% levels, SMD at 10, 20 and 30% levels and a control. The experiment lasted 90 days. Data generated were computed and subjected to a one-way analysis of variance. In the trial, the Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF), Acid Detergent Fibre (ADF), Acid Detergent Lignin (4DL), Cellulose and Hemicellulose intake increase as the level of CST increased in the diet except for animals in treatment 3 (30% inclusion of CST). Also, NDF, ADF, ADL, Cellulose and Hemicellulose increased as the level of inclusion of SMD increased in the diet except treatment 6 (30% inclusion of SMD). The NDF intake from forage decreased as the level of SMD in the diets. The mineral intake Phosphorus, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc and Sulphur also followed the same pattern. The mineral intake increased as the level of inclusion of ČST and SMD increased in the diet except in treatment 3 (30% inclusion of CST) and treatment 6 (30% inclusion of SMD) where the value obtained dropped. It was concluded that minerals available in the diets containing boiled Cocoa Seed Testa and Sorghum Malt Dust were significantly (p<0.05) better in their utilization by sheep that consumed boiled Sorghum Malt Dust based diets.