NUTRIENT INTAKE AND DIGESTIBILITY IN WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOATS FED DIETS CONTAINING VERNONIA AMYGDALINA (BITTER LEAF) AS PHYTOGENIC ADDITIVE

Abstract

Twenty-four West African dwarf (WAD) goats were subjected to four dietary treatments containing Vernonia amygdalina (VA) at varying inclusion levels (0, 5, 10 and 15g/ kg DM) to assess its effect on nutrient intake and digestibility. Panicum maximum was fed as a basal diet and concentrate diet as supplement in a ratio of 60:40.The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design and it lasted for 112 days. Results showed that VA inclusion increased (p<0.05) total dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) intakes. Goats on diets containing VA also had the highest (p<0.05) CF, ADF and acid detergent lignin (ADL) digestibility. It was therefore concluded that for increased nutrient intake and fibre fibre digestibility, VA can be included in the diet of WAD goats up to 15g/kg DM.