GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND FEEDS COST OF UDA RAMS FED GRADED LEVELS OF SWEET POTATO AND CASSAVA PEELS

Abstract

The study was aimed at evaluating the growth performance and feed cost of Uda rams fed graded levels of sweet potato peels(SPP) and cassava peels (CVP). A total of twelve (12) matured Uda rams weighing between 24-24.33kg were randomly allocated to four (4) dietary treatment groups each replicated four times.Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) (steel and Torrie, 1980) was used for this experiment. The animals were fed diets containing 0% as control, 20%SPP, 20%CVP, 20:20%SPP and CVP designated as A, B, C and D respectively. Parameters measured included body weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and feed cost. Results showed significance difference (p<0.05) on final body weight, body weight gain, average daily weight gain and average feed intake across the treatments.Treatment C and D recorded higher (p<0.05) average daily weight gain compared with treatment B which recorded the least.The cost of feed per kg live weight gain wasdlower in rams fed treatment D (10:10% Sweet potato and Cassava peels. It can be concluded from the results of the study that feeding both sweet potato and cassava peels at 10:10% inclusion level improves significantly the growth performance without adverse effect on fattening ram.