Feed For Small Ruminants Research Articles

Utilization of some fruit rinds in small ruminant feeding: nutritional characteristics determination.

Every year, thousands of tons of fruit wastes are produced worldwide while most of them remain unused and are released into the environment. Incorporation of these wastes to feedstuffs reduces competition between food and feed, and reduces environmental risks or methane yield in ruminants. Nevertheless, no comprehensive research was available on the nutritional properties of rinds of different fruits in small ruminant feeding. Hence, this research investigates the nutritional potential of some fruit's rinds (Kiwi, Tangerine, Grapefruit, Sweet lemon, Sour lemon, Banana, Mango, Orange, Apple, Peach, and Persimmon) by in vitro ruminal-microbial and standard laboratory methods. Persimmon rind had the higher total phenolic contents (TPC, 22mg gallic acid equivalents/g dry matter: DM) than the other treatments (P < 0.0001). The ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and ash contents of banana rind were greater (P < 0.0001), however its DM, relative feed value (RFV), and non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC) were lower than the other treatments (P < 0.0001). A different range of minerals was observed among fruit rinds along with a higher content of potassium (42.5g/kg DM) and manganese (49mg/kg DM) in banana rind (P < 0.0001). Persimmon (45.7ml/200mg DM) and sweet lemon (75.7ml/200mg DM) rinds recorded the lowest and highest potential gas production, respectively (P < 0.0001). Persimmon exhibited a lower percentage of methane (11.5%) rather than other rinds (P < 0.0001). The total volatile fatty acids (TVFA) and metabolizable energy (ME) in sweet lemon, and dry matter digestibility (DMD) and organic matter digestibility (OMD) in tangerine were greater compared with other rinds. The rind of the banana exhibited the highest amounts of titratable acidity (283 mEq×10- 3), acid-buffering capacity (200 mEq×10- 3), and acid-base buffering capacity (260 mEq×10- 3) (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, the present rinds differed in chemical-nutritional characteristics. These rinds may feed as a substitute for conventional forages in the diets of small ruminants on a large scale throughout the year; however, these in vitro findings need to be scientifically validated under in vivo experiments.

Forage Plants for Small Ruminant Feeding at Rural and Peri-Urban Sites in the Warm Humid Tropical Environment of Southeastern Nigeria

Summary This study aimed at determining the diversity of forage plants utilized for small ruminant feeding in rural and peri-urban sites in Imo state, Nigeria. The survey was carried out at rural and peri-urban sites in Aboh Mbaise and Mbaitoli Local Government Areas (LGAs), respectively. Ten small ruminant farmers were purposively selected from each LGA across the study communities. Data on fodder diversity, proximate composition, and mineral concentration were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, means, and standard deviation. It was observed that a higher diversity of fodder plants existed at the rural sites compared to the peri-urban sites and 43.4% of the fodder plants were common to both sites. Respondents identified 60.8% of the fodder plants also as food-bearing plants, with 55.6% and 80% of these found at the rural and peri-urban sites, respectively. There were no significant differences (p &gt; 0.05) between the relative proximate or mineral supplies to the animals at the two sites. It was, therefore, concluded that despite the diversity and differences in forage selection at the two sites, the relative nutrient supplies to small ruminants will be similar if the cafeteria system of forage provision practiced at the sites is adhered to.

Physico-chemical and Nutritional Composition of Ten Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) Grain Varieties as Potential Feed for Livestock

Sorghum grain (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is gaining importance amongst livestock producers and animal nutritionists. Newly developed sorghum varieties should be evaluated for their suitability in small ruminant ration. The aim of this research was to determine the physico-chemical characteristics of ten sorghum varieties as potential feed for small ruminants. There were no significant differences (P &amp;gt; 0.05) in DM, CP and CF contents of the ten sorghum varieties. The sorghum black had higher GE, NDF and ADF contents and ATxArg had higher oil and mineral contents. Similarly, sorghum varieties labelled black, red, R17049 and FZ2CND were characterized by high tannins, phenolic and redness contents. Marcia, R17231, RTx436 contained high levels of yellowness and lightness. Fatty acid profile also varies amongst the ten varieties. The results of this study demonstrated that physiochemical and nutritional properties of sorghum varied by varieties.

Feed resources used for small ruminant nutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa: a case study of Uganda.

Small ruminants are of great importance to the livelihoods of many people in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) since they act as a source of meat, income, hides and skins and for cultural identity. Despite their great importance, especially to rural smallholder farmers, their production in Africa is hindered by poor nutrition. The first stage of establishing development strategies to increase feed quality and quantity is to conduct a comprehensive inventory of the feed resources that are currently available, especially in SSA. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the availability and nature of the common feed resources that are used in the feeding of small ruminants in Uganda. This study involved a comprehensive review of various scientific, technical and economic literature that has been published up to date. Our results show that the available feed resources in Uganda can be grouped mainly into:- crop wastes and residues, agro-industrial by-products, conserved feeds, natural pastures and browse. The main feed resources for small ruminants in Uganda have been identified as natural pastures, which are generally characterised by a low nutritive value. However, browses are seen to have a high crude protein content and could be used as a supplement to grass forages and crop residues. It has been noted thatfarmers lack knowledge related to feed processing and management, in addition to a lack of policy governing feed quality. Therefore, there is a need to train farmers on how to process and utilise crop residues, in addition to proper feed management practices like pasture cultivation and conservation. It is also necessary to introduce widely new pasture species with better nutritional values that are suitable for the local production systems.

In vitro ovicidal effect of p-coumaric acid from Acacia bilimekii aerial parts against Haemonchus contortus

Acacia bilimekii is a plant with a high content of protein, fibre, and condensed tannins, making it an excellent feed for small ruminants with anthelmintic potential. This study aimed to evaluate the ovicidal activity of a hydroalcoholic extract (Ab-HA) and fractions from A. bilimekii aerial parts on Haemonchus contortus. The ovicidal activity of the Ab-HA extract and its fractions obtained by chromatographic fractionation were evaluated through the egg hatching inhibition (EHI) test. The results showed that the Ab-HA extract had 91% EHI at 20,000 µg/mL with a mean effective concentration (EC50) of 9260 µg/mL. After liquid–liquid fractionation of Ab-HA extract, the aqueous fraction (Ab-Aq) did not show ovicidal activity, whereas the organic fraction (Ab-EtOAc) showed a better EHI than the Ab-HA extract (98.9% at 2500 µg/mL). Then, the chemical fractionation of Ab-EtOAc allowed obtaining six bioactive fractions (AbR12–17) with an EHI greater than 90% at 1500 µg/mL. The best treatment was AbR15 (98.7% EHI at 750 µg/mL). Chemical analysis by HPLC-PDA of AbR15 indicated the presence of p-coumaric acid and the flavone luteolin as major compounds. Additionally, the commercial p-coumaric acid standard was evaluated in the EHI assay and showed an EHI of 97% at 62.5 µg/mL. Meanwhile, the confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis demonstrated a colocalization effect between p-coumaric acid and the H. contortus embryonated eggs. These results indicate that due to their major chemical compounds (including p-coumaric acid), the aerial parts of the plant A. bilimekii, could be considered as natural potential tool for controlling haemonchosis in small ruminants.

Sustainable Strategies for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction in Small Ruminants Farming

During the previous decades, the growing demand for animal origin products has gained considerable attention. As a result, livestock breeding has faced a rapid intensification in order to fulfil market expectations. This increase in livestock production has led to a large scale of manure that is associated with many environmental impacts, such as climate change, to an increase of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. Livestock production is considered to generate significant amounts of GHG, mainly carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Methane and nitrous oxide are the main emissions from livestock systems. Ruminants contribute highly to total livestock emissions. In the present study, the contribution of livestock and especially of the small ruminants in GHG emissions is reviewed. Additionally, useful sustainable strategies for farming and feeding of small ruminants are highlighted. Some of the practices discussed include but are not limited to efficient manure management, the replacement of mineral fertilizers by farm manure, the improvement of feed efficiency and provision of feed supplements. Moreover, the use of food waste or agro-industrial by-products is discussed as a sustainable strategy.

Investigation of the Effect of pH on the Adsorption-Desorption of Doxycycline in Feed for Small Ruminants.

Orally administered tetracycline antibiotics interact with feed, which may impact their bioavailability and efficacy. Therefore, the pH-dependent adsorption of doxycycline and its interaction with feed for ruminants was studied in vitro. Adsorption experiments on animal feed (135 and 270 mg) with initial doxycycline concentrations of 35, 75, and 150 µg/mL were performed. Desorption experiments were conducted by agitation of a predetermined mass of doxycycline-loaded animal feed in PBS, at pH = 3.0, 6.0, and 7.4, to simulate changes in the gastrointestinal tract. Antibiotic concentrations were determined by LC-MS/MS analysis. The adsorption/desorption of doxycycline was described by mathematical models. Chemisorption with strong intermolecular interactions between the active functional groups of doxycycline and the organic biomass was found. The experimental release curve comprised three sections: initial prolonged 27-30% release (pH = 6.0), followed by moderate 56-59% release (pH = 3.0), and final 63-74% release (pH = 7.4). The sigmoidal model showed a considerable role of diffusion with an initial prevalence of desorption and a decreased desorption rate thereafter. The Weibull equation revealed an initial release stage followed by a lag time section and sustained release. The study of doxycycline adsorption by the animal feed proved a maximum 80% encapsulation efficiency and revealed initial diffusion followed by chemisorption. The highest release efficiency of 74% suggests high bioavailability of doxycycline after oral administration in ruminants.

Evaluation of Urea Treated Acacia nilotica Pods as a Feed for Grower Lambs

Background: Acacia pods are non-conventional protein rich feed resources that could be harnessed as a feed ingredient in sheep production. Though many workers have observed the utility of raw Acacia nilotica pods as a noteworthy feed for small ruminants, the information on nutritive value of urea treated pods is lacking. Hence the present study was undertaken to evaluate the nutritional potential of urea treated Acacia nilotica pods at different dietary levels for supporting growth and nutrient utilisation in lambs. Methods: Acacia nilotica pods were collected, sun dried and ground in a hammer mill. The ground pods and seeds were treated in bulk with urea. Then the urea treated pods (UTP) was incorporated in three experimental concentrate mixtures @ 0, 15 or 30 per cent (R1, R2, R3) replacing deoiled rice bran. The concentrate mixtures were made isoproteinic and isocaloric. Napier Bajra hybrid grass (CNCO4) was provided as the basal roughage component in the rations. The ingredient and proximate composition of concentrate mixtures. Fifteen ram lambs of native Kilakarsal breed of about six months of age and with an average initial body weight of 9.39 kg were divided on the basis of body weight into three groups with five lambs per dietary group in a completely randomized design. Daily record of feed consumption was maintained. The lambs were weighed at fortnightly intervals. At the end of the feeding experiment, digestion trial was conducted using the same ram lambs. The samples were analysed for proximate composition and the digestibility of nutrients in the three experimental rations were determined. Result: Based on the data analyzed the DMI worked out to be 64.90, 65.84 and 65.43 g/kg W0.75 in lambs fed with rations containing 0, 15 and 30% UTP in the concentrate mixture respectively. The corresponding values for ADG in the present study were 48.14, 47.43 and 48.57 g. The feed efficiency in terms of DMI required to gain one kg body weight were 8.28, 8.58 and 8.35 kg which did not vary between the treatment groups. DCP of experimental rations increased significantly (P≤0.05) as the level of UTP in the concentrate mixture increased which could be attributed to the increased crude protein digestibility. The TDN decreased significantly (P≤0.05) at 15% and level and was unaffected thereafter. Hence, it was concluded that Acacia nilotica pods treated with 5% urea at 40% moisture and stored for 14 days could safely be included up to 30 per cent level in the concentrate mixture of growing lamb ration.

Significance of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) as a feed resource towards small-ruminant animal production in Southern Africa: a review.

Sesamum indicum (sesame) is a small seed legume, which is of nutritional and medicinal value to livestock. Sesame is a legume with positive attributes that include drought tolerance (owing to its extensive rooting system), low input demand for growth, and reduction of soil nematodes (in crop rotation systems). Attention in research has been shifted towards usage of sesame as human food to exploitation as livestock feed because of its high levels in crude protein (CP), minerals, amino acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). However, it is underutilized as a livestock feed resource in Southern Africa. In recent years, there has been increasing interest to cultivate the crop in Southern African countries through non-governmental organizations (NGOs) initiatives. The focus of such initiatives has been mainly production without value addition of the seed. At present in Southern Africa, widespread adoption of feeding strategies based on sesame has been restricted mainly due to lack of knowledge on production, marketing and value addition, availability of the seed, and technology adoption. Technology adoption is often limited specifically when oil extraction is considered, where by-products such as the meal are useful in animal production. This paper reviews the potential use of sesame to improve growth rates, feed intake, carcass qualities, meat quality, milk quality, milk yield, and blood metabolite levels of small ruminants. Production potential, economic feasibility, and strategies of using sesame in small-ruminant feeding programs are also outlined.

Economic Analysis of Cav. Drupe Pulp as New Melia dubia Alternate Feed for Small Ruminants

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of replacing basal diet of goat kids with 20% and 40% of Cav. drupe Melia dubiadry pulp to ascertain its effect on body weight, dry matter intake (g day ), and growth rate, feed conversion ratio and economics of feeding. -1 Twenty four goat kids (average 121 days old and 6.49 kg live weight) were assigned randomly to 0%, 20%, or 40% dry pulp diets (8 M. dubiakids diet ). The study lasted for 90 days. Total mixed rations (TMRs) replaced by drupe pulp (BF; Basal feed, 20% and 40% -1 M. dubia M. dubiadrupe pulp) did not have any significant effect on body weight, dry matter intake, growth rate and feed conversion ratio by the kids of all groups. Inclusion of drupe pulp in different TMRs of kids reduced the cost of feeding. Replacement up to 40% of normal ration with M. dubia M. dubia drupe pulp was most economical. The investigation divulged that feeding is economically beneficial without any difference in growth performance and hence drupe dry pulp could be a good alternative feed source.

Growth Response, Carcass Yield and Meat Quality of West African Dwarf Sheep Fed Graded Level of Shea Cake Meal

Growth response, carcass characteristics and meat quality of West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep fed Shea Cake Meal (SCM) supplement was investigated. A total of 24 WAD sheep of average body weight ranges from 11-12.65 kg comprising of twelve (12) males and twelve (12) females were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments with six animals per treatment in a completely randomized design in a twelve (12) weeks experimental period. Treatment 1 was control and had no inclusion of SCM. Treatments 2, 3 and 4 had 10%, 15% and 20% inclusion of SCM. Results were significantly different (P&lt;0.05) across treatments. Average weight gain ranged from 10.0 kg (SCM-10) to 13.12 kg (SCM-15). T3 recorded highest values for average feed intake (AFI) at a record value of 63.50 kg. T2 had the least feed conversion ratio of 4.81. The carcass quality and sensory evaluation were significantly affected (P&lt;0.05) across the treatments. Hot carcass weight (HCW) ranged from 18.90 kg (SCM-10) to 20.85 kg (SCM-15). Cold carcass weight was recorded 18.05 kg (SCM-10) and 19.95 kg (SCM-20), respectively. Minimum chilling loss of 3.96% was recorded at SCM-15 inclusion level. Animals on SCM-15 inclusion recorded the highest value of 7.55, 7.25 and 7.25 respectively for appearance, tenderness and overall acceptability. SCM-20 had highest value of 7.50 for juiciness compared to SCM-10 and SCM-15 with recorded values of 6.80 and 7.20, respectively. The study showed that all the dietary inclusion was satisfactory as feed for small ruminants without any deleterious effect on their performance as well as on carcass yield and meat quality. Inclusion level of SCM-15 supplement had highest overall performance when fed to (WAD) sheep.

Ruminal fermentation, microbial protein synthesis and nitrogen balance in sheep fed pistachio by-product silage

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding different levels of Pistachio pulp silage (PPS) on feed intake, nitrogen metabolism, protozoa population and purine derivative excretion in sheep. Experimental diets were different in amount of PPS. The compositions of diets given to the different treatments were as follow: (1) control (without PPS), (2) 7% PPS, (3) 14% PPS and (4) 21% PPS. Eight rams (40±2.5 kg) were used in a replicated Latin square design with four diets and four periods of 35 days each. Animals were fed with isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets. Feeding 14% of PPS enhanced significantly (p <0.05) dry matter intake, nitrogen intake and nitrogen retention in sheep. Purine derivatives excretion and so microbial protein synthesis increased (p <0.05) with adding PPS to experimental diets. Ruminal pH increased linearly with adding of PPS in this study. the Holotrich protozoa population decreased linearly by increasing level of PPS in diets (p <0.05). By increasing PPS in the experimental diets, total protozoa population and Entodinium sp., were changed quadratically (p <0.05). The highest number of protozoa population was related to 14% PPS in experimental diet. These results showed that PPS up to 14% can be used as proper source of feed for small ruminants to overcome the shortage of animal feedstuffs.

Metabolizable Protein: 2. Requirements for Maintenance in Growing Saanen Goats.

This study aimed to estimate the protein requirements for the maintenance of growing Saanen goats of different sexes from 5 to 45 kg of body weight (BW) using two methods and applying a meta-analysis. For this purpose, two datasets were used. One dataset was used to evaluate the effects of sex on the protein requirements for maintenance using the comparative slaughter technique. This dataset was composed of 185 individual records (80 intact males, 62 castrated males, and 43 females) from six studies. The other dataset was used to evaluate the effects of sex on the protein requirements for maintenance using the N balance method. This dataset was composed of 136 individual records (59 intact males, 43 castrated males, and 34 females) from six studies. All studies applied an experimental design that provided different levels of N intake and different levels of N retention, allowing the development of regression equations to predict the net protein requirement for maintenance (NPM) and the metabolizable protein (MP) requirements for maintenance (MPM) in Saanen goats. The efficiency of MP use for maintenance (kPM) was computed as NPM/MPM. The efficiency of MP use for gain (kPG) was calculated using the equation of daily protein retained against daily MP intake above maintenance. A meta-analysis was applied using the MIXED procedure of SAS, in which sex was considered a fixed effect, and blocks nested in the studies and goat sex were considered as random effects. The NPM did not differ between sexes, irrespective of the approach used. The daily NPM estimated was 1.23 g/kg0.75 BW when using the comparative slaughter technique, while it was 3.18 g/kg0.75 BW when using the N balance technique for growing Saanen goats. The MPM estimated was 3.8 g/kg0.75 BW, the kPM was 0.33, and the kPG was 0.52. We observed that the NPM when using the comparative slaughter technique in growing Saanen goats is lower than that recommended by the current small ruminant feeding systems; on the other hand, the MPM was similar to previous reports by the feeding systems. Sex did not affect the protein requirements for maintenance and the efficiencies of use of metabolizable protein.

LOS ACEITES ESENCIALES EN LOS PEQUEÑOS RUMIANTES Y SU EFECTO SOBRE LA PRODUCTIVIDAD

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background.&lt;/strong&gt; An alternative in animal nutrition, to replace the use of synthetic additives, are essential oils, considered additives of vegetable origin. They are bioactive compounds, that have been shown to improve ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, productivity and animal welfare. &lt;strong&gt;Objective.&lt;/strong&gt; To review the current knowledge on the benefits of essential oils and their active compounds on ruminal fermentation, as well as the results obtained when using them in small ruminant production. &lt;strong&gt;Methodology&lt;/strong&gt;. A search for bibliographic information was carried out using key terms in publications in scientific databases on the Web and electronic journals available on the Internet. &lt;strong&gt;Main findings.&lt;/strong&gt; This paper presents the main essential oils used in animal production, their chemical structure and the results obtained from their use in small ruminants. Emphasis is made on the need to know the specific mode of action of each bioactive compound of essential oils, to optimize a dose without causing adverse effects. &lt;strong&gt;Implications.&lt;/strong&gt; The limited information from &lt;em&gt;in vivo&lt;/em&gt; studies on the biokinetics of essential oils in the rumen make it necessary to evaluate the specific mode of action of each bioactive compound, the biokinetics in the animal, as well as the optimal dose. This would provide scientific basis for the prudent and planned management of essential oils as additives commonly used in the feeding of small ruminants. &lt;strong&gt;Conclusions.&lt;/strong&gt; Plant-derived essential oils can be useful in improving animal health and welfare, as well as meat and milk quality, and have potential environmental benefits such as mitigating enteric methane and ammonia nitrogen.&lt;/p&gt;

Storage characteristics, digestibility and nitrogen balance in west african dwarf sheep fed preserved elephant grass, caged layer waste and cassava peel diets during dry season

The storage characteristics, digestibility and nitrogen balance of three experimental diets consisting of elephant grass at 45, 40 and 35%, and caged layer waste at 25, 30 and 35 %, respectively with fixed quantity of cassava Deels and sawdust ash at 28 % und 2 %, respectively were assessed using West African Dwarf sheep. Result showed that there was a significant (P&lt;0.05) reduction in the nutrient composition of the feed in terms of DM, CP, ash, NFE, Pand K while the contents of EE, NDF, ADF, ADL, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn were not influenced (P&gt;0.015) by the length of storage. Apparent digestibility of DM, CP, ash and NDF was high but not significantly affected by the composition of the experimental diets. However, digestibilities of CF, ADF and ADL were significantly higher (P&lt;0.05) in rams offered diets 1 and 2 than the rams fed diet 3. Nitrogen balance in the rams fed the experimental diets was high (69.04 to 74.90% of intake) but similar (P&gt;0.05) among the treatments. It was concluded that the experimental diets have good potentials for dry season feeding of small ruminants.

MINERAL CONSTITUENTS OF SOME BROWSE PLANTS USED IN RUMINANT FEEDING IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA

Thirty-six browse plants found in natural pastures and used in small ruminant feeding were collected during the dry season. Their leaves were assayed for their contents of macro- and micro-mineral elements. Mg, Ca, Na, and K contents were noticeably high with overall mean levels of 0.35, 0.44, 0.059, 0.05 and 1.61% respectively while those for Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu were respectively 79.28, 803.39, 588.64 and 13.08 ppm in the leaves. Most of the leaves had moderate Ca: P ratios though Terminalia catapa leaves had as high a ratio as 42 while the overall mean Ca/P was 4.49 ± 1.19- P., Cu and Zn were however low in some of the browse leaves.

Productive behavior of sheep fed with soy (Glycine max L.) forage

Objective: To evaluate the productive behavior of Creole sheep in the tropics fed a whole food diet that includes soybean (FS, Glycine max) fodder at different phenological stages. Methodology: The treatments T1: control, T2: 30% (SF-56 d), T3: 30% (SF-68 d), T4: 30% (SF-85 d), T5: 30% (SF-110 d) were assigned randomly to 30 male Creole sheep (15.51±1.6 kg LW). The experiment lasted 56 d. The variables evaluated were: dry matter consumption (DMC), daily weight gain (DWG) and feed conversion (FC). The experimental design wascompletely randomized and the averages of the treatments were compared using the Tukey test. Results: Differences (p&lt;0.05) were found in DMC, DWG and FC. The DMC was lower (p&lt;0.05) in the control group. The DWG was higher in the animals that consumed soybean fodder compared to the control group (0.205 vs 0.121 kg d-1). The FC decreased (p&lt;0.05) 51% in T3 (SF 68 d), with respect to the control group. Study Limitations: The nutrient contribution of soybean fodder is based on the phenological stage of the plant. Likewise, producers in the tropical region have scarce knowledge about how to incorporate it in the feeding of small ruminants. Conclusions: The inclusion of 30% of soybean fodder at 68 d of age in a whole food diet improves the productive performance of the lambs because it increases daily weight gain and decreases feed conversion.

Availability and estimation of crop by-product yields for small ruminant production in Cross River State, Nigeria

A study was carried out in some Local Government Areas of Cross River State of Nigeria to identify and ascertain the availability, level of production and the yields of crop by-products derived from commonly cultivated crops that can serve as feed for small ruminants. The results show that the various staple crops commonly grown in Cross River State produce the following crop by-products in a decreasing order of yields- cassava peels&gt; yam peels&gt; corn cobs&gt; maize sheaths&gt; plantain peels&gt; maize offal&gt; rice offal&gt; cassava sievets&gt; banana peels&gt; fried garri sievets&gt; groundnut haulms&gt; sweet potato peels. The annual yield of crop by-products per Local Government Area is estimated as follows: cassava peels 89,226.40, yam peels 32,318.80, maize sheaths and offal 358,050.00, rice 0ffal 37,140.00, cowpea haulms 34,064.00, groundnut haulms 41,872.00, banana peels and rejects 18,420.00, plantain peels 7,598.40, cocoyam peels 11,944.00, sweet potato peels and rejects 8,024.00 tonnes per selected LGA.The total amount of crop by-products (638,657.60 tonnes) generated each year from the staple food crops will go a long way in solving the problem of feed scarcity for ruminants during dry season.

Haematological and biochemical parameters of Kano brown bucks fed graded levels of potash treated neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf meal-based diets

The haematological and serum profile of Kano brown bucks fed neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf meal was investigated for 63 days. Twelve growing Kano Brown bucks were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments with three animals per treatments in a completely randomized block design. Treatment A was the control diet without neem leaf meal while treatments B, C and D had 10%, 20% and 30% potash-treated neem leaf inclusion levels respectively. Blood samples were collected at the end of the experiment for analysis of haematology and biochemical parameters. The mean value of packed cell volume, haemoglobin, red blood cell counts and white blood cell counts were significantly (p&gt;0.05) different across all treatments. The mean and standard deviation were 29.00, 90.10; 10.06, 0.39; 9.50, 0.55; 10.5, 1.11; 30.20, 0.08; 10.41, 0.85 and 33.02, 0.45 for PCV, Hg, RBC, WBC, MCV, MCH and MCHC respectively. Mean corpuscular volume was significantly (p&lt;0.05) higher for animals fed 10% inclusion of the tested material ranging from (25.50 - 36.00 fl). Eosinophils, monocytes and basophils were not significantly different across alltreatments while, lymphocytes and neutrophils were statistically significant (p&lt;0.05) across all treatments with mean values of 43.29% and 56.75% respectively. The serum sodium ranged from (145.00 - 150.00 mmol/L), potassium ranged from (4.975 - 5.150 mmol/L) across all treatments. The creatinine value ranged from (85.50 - 103.5 mmol/L) total protein, albumin and globulin showed significant (p&lt;0.05) difference across all treatments. The standard deviation was 0.003, 0.01, 0.02 and 0.18 respectively. Aspartate Aminotransferase, Alanine Aminotransferase and Alkaline Phosphatase were significantly (p&lt;0.05) different across all treatments. The study revealed that potash-treated neem leaf meal could be used as feed for small ruminants, without any deleterious effect on performance and blood profile. It is concluded that dietary inclusion of potash treated neem leaf meal at 10 and 20% improved haemoglobin, packed cell volume and white blood cell counts.

Common Hazards Associated with Sheep and Goat Feed

This 7-page document provides a list of common hazards to consider in the manufacturing of feed for small ruminants. Written by Chalise Brown, Diwakar Vyas, and Jason M. Scheffler, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences, November 2020.