NUTRITIVE EVALUATION OF SELECTED AGRO-INDUSTRIAL BY-PRODUCTS FOR SMALL RUMINANT PRODUCTION

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the chemical composition and dry matter degradability of four (4) Agro-industrial by products (Cassava peel, Yam peel, Brewer’s waste and Maize offal) from Jalingo, Taraba State using the nylon bag technique. Crude protein content was highest (23.77%) in Brewer’s dry grain (BDG) and lowest (4.67%) in Cassava Peel. All the feedstuffs were at least 50% degradable at 48hours incubation period and as such are good feed resources for ruminant stock. Cassava peels had the highest (87.0%) dry matter degradability, followed by Yam peels (86.42%), Maize offal (75.44%) and Brewers dry grain (56.17%). The effective degradability(ED) of 74.3% at 50 hour rumen incubation of Maize offal coupled with its moderate crude protein content (CP) of 13.16% suggests that it is the most nutritive of the tested feedstuffs followed by BDG (55.7% ED ; 23.77% CP), Yam peel (82.4% ED; 7.64% CP) and Cassava peel (81.2% ED; 4.67% CP). The high(>10%) fat content of Maize offal  may however place BDG at a better comparative advantage over Maize offal, more so that BDG may provide more bypass protein than the maize offal.