Abstract
The study was conducted to determine the replacement value of cassava peels and rice husk combination for guinea grass, using nutrient digestibility, energy utilization and in vitro gas production characteristics by West African Dwarf Sheep. Fifteen (15) growing WAD Sheep with an average weight of 9.00 ± 0.01kg and aged between 9 and 10 months old were randomly assigned to three (3) dietary treatments with five (5) animals per treatment in a completely randomized design. The compared diets were A (guinea grass), B (cassava peels with rice husk in a ratio of 60:10) and C (cassava peels with rice husk in a ratio of 55:15). The results showed that parameters observed under digestibility, energy and in vitro gas production characteristics were significantly affected (P<0.05) with the exception of dry matter digestibility, gas produced from the soluble fraction (a), gas production rate constant (c)and incubation time(t1/2) (P>0.05). CP (74.37%) , EE (62.49%), CF (47.08%), ash (70.89%), NDF (48.62%), ADF (49.68%), ADL (54.83%) digestibility, GE intake (2229.74kcal/g/day), DE (95.45kcal/g/day), CH4 (13ml), ME (8.31MJ/kg/DM), OMD (56.10%) and SCFA (0.09uM) were significantly (P<0.05) better for diet A. Gas production from the insoluble fraction (38.75ml) and potential gas production (41.00ml) were highest in diet B, whereas NFE digestibility (79.38%), total energy output (197.21kcal/g/day) and metabolizable energy BW 0.75 (15.11kcal/g/day) were higher for diet C. It is concluded that cassava peels with rice husk in a ratio of 60:10 has a potential to replace guinea grass in the diet of WAD sheep.
Highlights
The survival of sheep and goats under harsh tropical environment together with their efficiency in feeds conversion, variety of feeds on which they can subsist and their relative resistance to diseases are some of the important characteristics responsible for profitable sheep rearing by rural populace
The results showed that parameters observed under digestibility, energy and in vitro gas production characteristics were significantly affected (P0.05)
crude protein (CP) (74.37%), Ether extract (EE) (62.49%), crude fibre (CF) (47.08%), ash (70.89%), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) (48.62%), acid detergent fibre (ADF) (49.68%), acid detergent lignin (ADL) (54.83%) digestibility, Gross energy (GE) intake (2229.74kcal/g/day), Digestible Energy (DE) (95.45kcal/g/day), CH4 (13ml), Metabolizable Energy (ME) (8.31MJ/kg/Dry matter (DM)), Organic Matter Degradability (OMD) (56.10%) and Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA) (0.09μM) were significantly (P
Summary
The survival of sheep and goats under harsh tropical environment together with their efficiency in feeds conversion, variety of feeds on which they can subsist and their relative resistance to diseases are some of the important characteristics responsible for profitable sheep rearing by rural populace. The situation becomes worse during the dry season when ruminant animal are unable to meet their protein and energy requirement from available poor quality herbage with consequent marked weight loss and low productivity (Nigele et al, 2010). This inability of ruminant livestock producers to feed their animals adequately throughout the year is a major constraint in meeting future demands for meat and milk. The objective of this study was to measure nutrient digestibility, energy utilization and in vitro gas production characteristics of diets of West African Dwarf Sheep, in which guinea grass was replaced by a combination of cassava peels and rice husk
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