EFFECT OF FRESH COONTAIL LEAF (CERATOPHYLLUM DEMERSUM) WITH GRADED LEVEL BERMUDA GRASS (CYNODON DACTYLON) ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, AND BLOOD INDICES OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOATS

Abstract

The West African Dwarf (WAD) goats play an essential socioeconomic role in the Nigerian economy, hence the effect of 12 weeks of feeding fresh Coontail leaf (FCL) + Bermuda grass (BG) at various dietary levels on WAD goat growth performance and blood indices were explored. A total of 24 WAD goats weighing an average of 6.02kg each were randomly assigned to four treatments of six goats, with two goats per replicate. In a completely randomized form, each treatment was served four experimental diets comprising FCL and BG at Diet 1: Control 100% FCL, Diet 2: 80% FCL + 20%
BG, Diet 3: 70% FCL + 30% BG, and Diet 4: 50% FCL + 50% BG, accordingly. Initial weight, final weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), packed cell volume (PCV), and haemoglobin concentration (Hb. The T1 and T4 showed significant (p<0.05) changes in final body weights, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in all haematological parameters evaluated, except packed cell volume (PCV) which had no significant (p>0.05) difference. All blood biochemical indicators indicated significant (p<0.05) differences with total protein, albumin, and urea, except for cholesterol, globulin, and glucose, which were not statistically (p>0.05) different. It is possible to conclude that FCL+BG Can be included in WAD goat diets up to 50% without negatively affecting growth performance or blood parameters.