THE EFFECTS OF FEED ON THE INTAKE, DIGESTIBILITY AND GROWTH RATE OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOATS FED GLIRICIDIA sepium AND LEUCAENA LEUCOCOEPHALA

Abstract

The study evaluated the effects of level of feed offer on dry matter intake (DMI) , digestibility, the parts of plants selected and on the growth rate of West African dwarf (WAD) goats without resulting in toxicity. Seven different levels of feed offer ranging from 40g/kg0.75/day to 130Wkg0.75/day in increments of 15g/kg0.75) were fed to two groups of goats. The first group was fed 100% Gliricidia while the while the second was fed 50% Gliricidia and 50% Leucaena diet (50/50). The level of feed offer had significant effect on the DIM and digestible DMI (DDMI) of the goat (P < 0.01). The Leucaena intake in a 50/50 diet was always higher than the Gliricidia intake except at 55g1kg0.75 offer level. The level of feed offer had significant effects on the parts of plants selected (P < 0.01.) and on the growth rate. The leaf intake was statistically higher than the stem intake (P < 0.01). All the goats on 40g/kg0.75 and 55g/kg0.75 on a 100% Gliricidia diet lost weight while only those on 40g/kg0.75 lost weight on a 50/50 diet. There was no significant difference in the growth rate of goats on feed offer levels of 70g to 130g/kg0.75 (P > 0.05). The study indicate that goats performance was higher on a mixed browse diet than on Gliricidia alone. Goats performed best at 100g/kg0.75 offer level.