CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, IN VITRO DIGESTIBILITY AND GAS PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDED DIETS USING RUMEN LIQUOR FROM WEST AFRICAN DWARF SHEEP AND WEST AFRICAN DWARF SHEEP GOAT

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to assess the chemical composition, in vitro digestibility and gas production characteristics of compounded concentrate and Panicum maximum incubating rumen liquor collected from West African Dwarf (WAD) Sheep and Goat. The chemical composition of the diets was carried out following standard laboratory procedures, and the rumen liquor were collected from five (5) WAD sheep and goat respectively which was used in the laboratory for in vitro gas production procedure. Result obtained showed that the proximate composition was significantly (p<0.05) influenced by different feedstuffs in the gross composition, the dry matter ranged from 87.03g/100g for diet 4 - 87.82g/100g for diet 1, the highest (p<0.05) crude protein value (10.80%) was reported for diet 5 than other diets. Also, Values of IVGP volume for Diet 5 (23.10ml/200mgDM) was significantly higher (p<0.05) than diet 1(22.70ml/200mgDM); diet 2(16.70ml/200mgDM); diet 3(18.30ml/200mgDM); diet 4 (15.70ml/200mgDM); and diet 6 (21.50ml/200mgDM) using rumen liquor collected from WAD goat when compared to WAD sheep. The study concluded that the in vitro digestibility and gas production of compounded diets incubated with rumen liquor obtained from West African dwarf sheep and goat showed different characteristics, rumen liquor from WAD goat showed high degradability potential with high methane production.