ACCEPTABILITY AND IN VITRO FERMENTATION CHARACTERISTICS OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF (WAD) SHEEP FED DIETS CONTAINING GRADED LEVELS OF NEEM AND BITTER LEAF PLANTS

Abstract

The poor performance of ruminant animals during the lean season coupled with increased methane emission that causes global warming has necessitated the search for alternative feed additives (additives) that could be used as both growth stimulants and methane inhibitors. This study focused on investigating the acceptability, in-vitro gas fermentation and methane production levels of neem and bitter leaf in rations formulated for West African Dwarf sheep. Twenty-one sheep were used and subjected to seven dietary treatments: Control diet (T1), 5% Neem leaf (T2), 10% Neem leaf (T3), 5%
Neem leaf + 5% Bitter leaf (T4), 5% Bitter leaf (T5), 10% Bitter leaf (T6) and 2.5% Neem leaf + 2.5% Bitter leaf (T7) in a completely randomized design. The average dry matter feed intake was significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the experimental diets. The T1 sheep was significantly (P<0.05) higher compared with those fed other diets throughout the 7-days period. The order of preference of the sheep fed treatment diets was T1>T5>T7>T6>T2>T4>T3. The production of gas was significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the incubation period and herbs inclusion. The T1 (0% herbs) produced more gas than the rest of the treatments, T5 (bitter leaf) at 5% inclusion level produces relatively less methane gas and preferred. Likewise, neem leaf and bitter leaf at 2.5% (T7) inclusion level each produced a lower methane gas. In conclusion, addition of herbs into the diet of ruminants could improve feed efficiency and also reduce methane emission.