Utilization of Palm Kernel Meal by Sheep

Abstract

Abstract Umunna, N. N., Magaji, I. Y., Adu, I. F., Njoku, P. C., Balogun, T. F., Alawa, J. P. and Iji, P. A. 1994. Utilization of palm kernel meal by sheep. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 5: 1–11 Yankasa sheep were used to study effects of palm kernel meal (PKM) on nutrient utilization and performance of animals. The in sacco degradation studies revealed that potential protein degradation in the rumen was high and the very low rate of degradation (0. 031) made 50–61% protein of PKM undegradable in the rumen. In experiment 1 (62 d), five isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets containing 0, 20, 35, 50 and 65% PKM were fed to growing rams. In Experiment 2, four diets in which PKM substituted all the cotton seed cake (CSC) and 0, 33, 66 and 100% of maize in the diets were used. The diets thus contained 0, 49, 70 and 90% PKM in treatments 1, 2, 3 and 4. In both experiments average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI), feed conversion (FC) or DM digestibility was not significantly (P>0. 01) affected. Higher values of s...