Effect of dietary salt levels on the performance of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats

Abstract

A 70-day feeding trial was conducted to estimate the effect of levels (0, 5, 10, and 15g/kg cassava peels, respectively) of common salt and cassava peels (dry and fresh using Gmelina arborea leaves as a basal diet on the average daily gain, dry matter intake, seed conversion efficiency and water consumption in West African Dwarf goats. Total dry matter intake and the average Gmelina arborea leaf intake increased with applied common salt, irrespective of cassava peel form. Increasing common salt level also increased average daily gain and feed conversion efficiency in both dry and fresh cassava peels, but this was not accompanied by a remarkable gain beyond 5g common salt. Moreover, the average cassava peel intake increased but not significantly (P>0.05) with salt level up to 10g beyond which there was a sharp decline and an insignificant gain with dry and fresh cassava peels, respectively. Goats fed dry cassava peels  significantly (P<0.05) consumed more water as the salt level increased in the diet. It was concluded that application of 5g common salt per kg dry cassava peels promoted highest daily gain, optimum dry matter intake and feed conversion efficiency in West African Dwarf goal production. However, the response with fresh cassava peels revealed no statistically significant difference in average daily gain, total dry matter intake and feed conversion efficiency.