PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF RAMS FED BASAL DIET SUPPLEMENTED WITH MULTI-NUTRIENT FEED BLOCKS

Abstract

Multi-nutrient block represents a vast reservoir of cheap nutrients as a panacea to protein and energy deficiencies in ruminants especially during dry season. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplementing multi-nutrient blocks to basal diet (Panicum maximum) on the growth performance of West African Dwarf rams. A total of fifteen (15) West African Dwarf (WAD) Rams with an average weight of 13.20 + 0.20kg were used in a completely randomized design. Multi-nutrient block consisted of Corn Bran (CB) used in replacing Molasses (M) at varying levels. The multi-nutrient blocks (CB 0%: M 0%, CB20%: M10%, CB10%: M20%, CB 0%: M30% and CB30%: M0%) as treatments 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. Parameters determined on performance characteristics included final weight, weight gain, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results showed that the weight gain values ranged from 2.45 to 3.47kg which were significantly different (P < 0.05) across the treatments. The highest daily weight gain was 59.17g/day was recorded at the treatment 3 (CB20%: M10%) while the lowest daily weight gain (43.45 g/day) was obtained at control diet containing (CB0%:M0%) which were significantly influenced by dietary feeding of multi-nutrient blocks. The feed conversion ratios ranged from 10.28 – 14.28 which were significantly different (P < 0.05) from each other. It was therefore concluded that multi-nutrient feed block containing (CB10%: M20%) can be used to supplement basal diet to improve growth performance of West African dwarf rams.