Nutritional evaluation of varying proportions of Gliricidia sepium and Ficus thonningii leaves in the diet of young West African dwarf goats.

Abstract

Sixteen (16) male of West African dwarf goats, aged 6 to 8 months and weighing 4.85 to 6.80kg were used in protein utilization study to monitor performance. The animals were randomly divided into four groups. Each group was fed foliages of Gliricidia sepium and Ficus thonningii mixed in varying proportions such that 0% (diet 1), 25% (diet 2), 50% (diet 3) and 75% (diet 4) of Gliricidia were replaced with Ficus. The feeding lasted 70 days during which dry matter intake, DM1, and changes in body weight were monitored. At the beginning of the last 10days of the trial animals were trans­ferred to individual metabolic cages for daily collection of faeces and urine for 7 days after the 3 days set aside for adjustment to the cages. Results showed that the mean DM1 was 185.15g day', which amounted to about 2.9% of body weight while digestibility coefficient was 65%. The daily weight gains observed for animals on diets containing 0%, 25%, 50% and 75% of Gliricidia replaced with Ficus leaves were 34.30, 34.29, 37.10 and 36.79g day' respectively. The metabolic faecal nitrogen, MFN, and endogenous urinary nitrogen, ELTN, values were 9.42g kg' DM and 0.85g day^­'Kg BW^0.745 respectively. Regression model that described the relationship between nitrogen, N, balance and corresponding absorbed N values indicated that the combination of Gliricidia and Ficus leaves could furnish nutrient (3.68g day' kg' BW^0..⁷⁵ digestible crude protein, DCP) which might support young WAD goat requirement for maintenance. Data obtained suggested that all the three combinations of diets could be fed to goats but the inclusion of Gliricidiaand Ficus at equal level of 50%p produced highest weight gain (37.10g day^-1) and supported better performance