PERFORMANCE OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF RAMS FED UNTREATED AND ALKALI TREATED BUSH FOGGAGE

• A. N. Fajemisin

  Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.

  Author

A seventy (70) day feeding study was conducted to assess the nutritive value of untreated and alkali treated bush foggage (Panicum maximum standing hay) in West African Dwarf rams diets. Silage of bush foggage treated with lye, calcium hydroxide and urea solutions were prepared and allowed to stand for thirty (30) days. Four diets were prepared as follow; A (untreated-bush foggage), B: (Lye-treated bush foggage), C: (1% Calcium hydroxide-treated bush foggage) and D: (5% Urea-treated bush foggage) Twenty West African Dwarf rams that weighed 24.40 ±1.02 kg and aged 24-30 months were selected from the flock of small ruminant unit of the Teaching and Research farm, Federal University of Technology, Akure. The rams were divided into four groups of five (5) rams per group and fed the diets for 70 days in a Completely Randomized Design experiment. Chemical composition of untreated and alkali treated bush foggage diets revealed that all nutrients determined were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the treatment except cellulose and energy. Dry matter ranged from 73.52 (diet C) to 84.08 % (diet A) while crude proteins of diets B, C and D were improved due to alkali treatment and fermentation. The highest crude protein (12.86 %) was obtained in urea treated bush foggage. The least energy content (15.32 KJ/100g DM) was obtained in untreated bush foggage. The fibre fraction decreased with alkali treatment and fermentation when compared to value obtained in the untreated bush foggage. The results of nutrients intake revealed significant (P<0.05) influence by the treatment, dry matter intake ranged from 523.30 to 723 g/day. Crude protein intake increased with alkali treated bush foggage, the rams fed diet D had the highest crude protein intake. Apparent digestibility coefficient of nutrients was significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the treatment, the rams fed diet D digested their feed better compared to other rams. Rams fed urea-treated bush foggage had the highest nitrogen balance (11.35g/day), weight gain (16.43 g/day) and converted their feed (44.04) to flesh better compared to rams fed untreated bush foggage. The results indicated that alkali treatment improved the nutritive value of poor quality bush foggage and could therefore support the small ruminants' performance.

1. A. N. Fajemisin, Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.

   Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.

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