Silage Quality and Preference of Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) with Varying Levels of Poultry dropping and Cassava Peel by West African Dwarf Goats

Abstract

In this study, elephant grass ((Pennisetum purpureum) was ensiled with varying levels of poultry dropping and cassava peel (CSP). Silage characteristics and chemical composition of the silage mixtures were determined in the laboratory while preferences of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats for the mixtures were assessed using eighteen (18) WAD goats. The treatments were: T1: P. purpureum (60%), poultry dropping (40%), dry cassava peel (0%); T2: P. purpureum (60%), poultry dropping (30%), dry cassava peel (10%); T3: P. pupureum (60%), poultry dropping (20%), dry cassava peel (20%); T4: P. purpureum (60%), poultry dropping (10%), dry cassava peel (30%); T5: P. purpureum (60%), poultry dropping (0%), dry cassava peel (40%) and T6: P. purpureum (100%). All the mixtures formed good silage, except the silage with the highest proportion of poultry dropping (T1) and acidity (pH) ranged from 6.75 to 3.80 (T1 and T5 respectively) while colour varied from pale to light green with dark brown and white speckles as proportion of cassava peel in the silage mixture increased. All silages had firm texture with pleasant and slightly alcoholic smell. Dry matter (DM) content of silage increased as proportion of cassava peel in the mixture increased while crude protein (CP) and (NDF) reduced. DM, CP and CF varied from 27.00 to 54.00%, 8.46 to 10.72% and 28.52 to 60.52 %, respectively. The preference by goats was 11.22, 20.44, 20.71, 21.78, 22.56 and 32.28% for T5, T4, T6, T3, T2 and T1 respectively. These results revealed that the silage properties, chemical composition and acceptability of elephant grass silage by WAD goat were enhanced by the addition of cassava peel and poultry dropping to elephant grass