UTILIZATION OF CROP RESIDUES AND AGRO-INDUSTRIAL BY-PRODUCTS AS COMPLETE DIETS FOR WEST AFRICAN DWARF SHEEP AND GOATS

Abstract

Two experiments consisting of three dietary treatments each were conducted on the use of crop residues and agro-industrial wastes for formulating complete diets for growing West production. African dwarf sheep and goats. Growth Performance and digestibility studies were carried out with the animals, In experiment  Crude protein (CP), ash and gross energy levels increased from diet 1 to diet 3 while the crude fibre contents decreased progressively. Sheep consumed more nutrients (P<0.01) than goats. In the streep, the highest dry matter intake (DMI) was on diet 2 (74.1y/kyw 0.75). However,the intakes of CP and energy on diets 2 and 3 d were similar (P1.05). Energy intake was highest in diet 3 for goats, while DMI (47.6g/kW0.75 .) was comparable (P>0.05) to those on diets 1and 2 (50.5 and 45.0y/kyW0.75 respectively. Various strategies Sheep and goats digested DM, CP and energy similarly (P>0.05). Diet 3 was the most digestible (P<0.01) for energy in both species. Digestibility of DM and CP was best in diet 3 for sheep. The highest (P<0.05) weight gain of 60.3y/day was for sheep on diet 3. The best feed conversion efficiency (FCE) was also recorded for the same diet for sheep (10.0%) and goat (9.2%). In Experiment 2, crude protein levels fibre decreased from diets 1 to 3. Concentrations of HCN (16.7 and 19.3mg/kgfor primary diets 1 and 2 respectively) were low. Sheep consumed more (P<0.05) DM than goats (83.8 and 79.5g/kg w respectively) while CP was consumed similarly (P>0.05), Goats digested DM (68.2% better (P<0.05) than sheep (59.6%). Diets did not influence (P>0.05) the DM digestibility within the two species. The highest (P<0.05) weight changes were recorded on diet in 3 for sheep and goats (112.4 and 55.2g/dey