Nutrient intake and digestibility of West African dwarf goats fed graded levels of and as supplements to Afzelia africana Newbouldia laevis Panicum maximum

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine nutrient intake and digestibility of West African dwarf goats fed graded levels of Afzelia africana and New bouldia laevisas supplements to Panicum maximum. Twenty female West African dwarf goats aged between 5 and 7 months old with mean live weight of 6.62±0.41kg were allotted to five dietary treatments with two replicates of two goats per treatment in a completely randomised design. The compared diets were: T (100% Panicum maximum), T (25%Afzelia africana and 75% Panicum maximum), T (50% Afzelia africana and 50% Panicum maximum), T (25% New bouldia laevis and 75% Panicum maximum) and T (50% Newbouldia laevis and 50% Panicum maximum). A metabolism trial was conducted at the end of the feeding trial to assess the diets on nutrient digestibility after the nutrient intake study of the goats. Results obtained showed that total hemicelluloses intake (62.48g.day ) was significantly (p<0.05) higher in T compared with other diets. Total crude protein intake(43.45g.d) and hemicelluloses digestibility(92.20%)were higher significantly (p<0.001) and (p<0.01) respectively in T . Total lignin intake (36.22g.d )and organic matter digestibility (77.70%) were significantly better (p<0.05) and (p<0.01) respectively in T . Digestibility of neutral and acid detergent fibre (55.71% and 49.79%) were significantly higher (p<0.05) and (p<0.001) while dry matter digestibility (83.49%) was significantly better (p<0.01) in T than other treatment diets. Total dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and cellulose intakes with digestibility of crude protein, lignin and cellulose were not significantly (p>0.05) affected by treatment diets. It was concluded that the combination of Panicum maximum based diet with Newbouldia laevis in a ratio of 50:50 had the potential to enhance nutrient digestibility in goats.