NUTRIENT INTAKE OF RED SOKOTO BUCKS FED DIETS CONTAINING VARYING LEVELS OF PILIOSTIGMA THONNINGII (KARGO) PODS IN SEMI – ARID REGION OF NIGERIA

Abstract

Animal productivity could be enhanced by providing forages that are good and qualitative. Browse plants are feed resources that are relevant and valuable to livestock. Browse plants are defined as the palatable portions of a woody forage plants such as leaves, tender twigs, shoots, flowers, fruits and pods. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding different inclusion levels of Piliostigma thonningii pods on nutrient intake and digestibility of male Maradi bucks. Sixteen growing Red Sokoto bucks weighing averagely 10-12±2.0kg were randomally allotted to four treatments in a Completely Randomized Design with four replications per treatment. Four diets containing P. thonningii pods at 0, 5, 10 and 15% were fed at 3.5 body weight/day for a period of 84 days. The parameters measured include; dry matter, crude protein, crude fiber, ash, ether extract and nitrogen free extract digestibility. The results of nutrient intake showed significant (P<0.05) differences in all parameters except for dry matter and crude fiber. It was concluded that 15% inclusion level of P. thonningii pods enhanced nutrient intake by Kano Brown bucks. It was therefore,
recommended that, P. thonningii pods could be included up to 15% level in the diet of Kano Brown bucks to enhance nutrient intake.