ANTINUTRIENT UTILIZATION AND LIVE-WEIGHT GAIN OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOATS FED Panicum maximum SUPPLEMENTED WITH UNTREATED COCOA POD HUSK MEAL

Abstract

A 56-day study was conducted to evaluate the antinutrient utilization and live-weight gain of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats fed Panicum maximum supplemented with untreated cocoa pod husk meal (CPHM). Five experimental diets were formulated such that Panicum maximum were supplemented with untreated cocoa pod husk meal at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% respectively and were fed to 20 WAD goats at 4 replicates per treatment in a completely randomized design experiment. Parameters assessed included; nutrient and antinutrient intake, nitrogen utilization, and weight changes. From the results, dry matter (DM) of the diets varied from 88.20% (diet A) to 89.47% (diet E); crude protein (CP) ranged from 10.37% (diet E) to 11.28% (diet A) and the highest theobromine concentration (0.93%) was recorded for diet E. The highest DMI (341.38g/day), CPI (43.65%) and live-weight gain (38.24g/day) was recorded for goats fed diet A but nutrients, anti-nutrients, digestibility coefficients, nitrogen intake and retention values of goats fed diet B had statistical (P>0.05) similar values with those fed diet A. Though, the highest feed gain ratio (8.89) recorded for goats fed diet A was statistically (P>0.05) similar with 9.48 recorded for those diet B (75% P. maximum +25% CPHM), with no record of mortality. Thus, P. maximum could be combined with CPHM at 3:1 for WAD goats during dry season when the grass is in short supply, as it contained tolerable anti-nutrients, supported weight gain and would not pose any deleterious effect to the WAD goats.