PERFORMANCE OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF (WAD) GOATS FED Moringa oleifera LEAF MEAL

Abstract

A feeding trial of 90 day duration was conducted to determine the performance of twelve West African Dwarf (WAD) goats fed different inclusion levels of Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM). The animals aged between 10—12 months were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups of 3 animals each and housed individually in cement floored pens provided with feeder and drinker. Four treatments diets (TI, T2, T3 and T4) were formulated to contain 0, 5, 10 and 15% MOLM in addition to other constituents (cassava peel, brewers dried grain (BDG), palm kernel meal (PKM), maize offal, bone meal and salt). The diets were allotted to the 4 animal groups in a Completely Randomized Design. Each animal received the designated diet on 3% body weight basis in addition to a forage sward made of mostly Panicum maximum, Aspillia africana and Alchornea cordifolia. Parameters evaluated were average daily feed intake, average daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Results showed that average daily feed intake differed significantly (P<0.05) with goats fed 15% MOLM diets having the highest intake (495.19 g/d). Similarly average daily weight gain was highest (46.00 g/d) for animals fed T4 diet (15% MOLM). FCR was however best for does fed T4 diet (10.77). Incorporation of MOLM in diets of WAD goats generally enhanced performance. Diet T4 promoted the best relative performance among the treatment diets and is therefore recommended for production of WAD goats in South East Nigeria.