ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to evaluate growth performance of Red Sokoto bucks fed Digitaria smutsii hay-based diet with varying levels of sun-dried broiler litter (SBL). A total of 20 Red Sokoto bucks aged 12-14 months and weighing on average 11.5±0.5kg were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments with 5 replicates each in a complete randomized design. The diets contained 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% SBL levels, each representing a treatment. The animals were fed at 4% body weight throughout the period of 90 days. Total feed intake, weight gain, faecal and urine output, rumen pH, total volatile fatty acid (TVFA), rumen ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) as well as serum metabolites were recorded. Results obtained showed significant (P<0.05) decrease in Dry matter intake (394.68–325.44g/day) and weight gain (54.17 – 29.63g/day) on diets with SBL inclusion. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) significantly (P<0.05) increased across the treatments (7.74 – 11.33) as SBL levels increased in the diets. Nutrient digestibility varied (P<0.05) significantly across the treatments with exception of DM. The digestibility of CP, CF, ADF and ME were significantly (P<0.05) higher in diets with SBL compared to the control. Nitrogen intake (11.32 – 8.81g/day) and Nitrogen balance (5.99 – 4.01g/day) decreased (P<0.05) significantly across the treatments with increasing levels of SBL inclusion but Nitrogen retention (57.14 – 45.52%) was better in bucks on diet with 10%SBL inclusion compared to the other groups. Rumen pH differed significantly (P<0.05) among the groups but were within acceptable range (6.0-7.0) for rumen fermentation. Rumen Ammonia (20.83–27.25mg/100ml) were significantly (P<0.05) higher in animals on diet with SBL compared to control diets and were higher (14.08–36.42mg/100ml) at 8 hours post feeding. Similarly, TVFA were significantly (P<0.05) higher at 8 hours post feeding (28.67– 45.08mmol/l) but decreased (37.25-32.33mmol/l) at 30% SBL inclusion. Serum metabolites varied significantly (P<0.05) across the treatments but all fell within the acceptable range for healthy goats. Feed cost per kilogram decreased with increasing levels of SBL in the diets (N 61.40 – N 42.55). Feed cost (N) per kilogram gain was significantly (P<0.05) higher in diet with 30% SBL (475.89 – 442.76) compared to the other diets. Although animals on the control diet showed some level of performance over those on SBL diets, the cost of the control diet would obviously hinder farmers in utilizing it. It was therefore concluded from this trial, that SBL used in the formulation of diets for Red Sokoto bucks can be included in the diets for growing goats up to 10%.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page………………………………………………………………………………i Certification …………………………………………………………………………..ii Dedication ……………………………………………………………………………iii Declaration ……………………………………………………………………………iv Acknowledgement………………………………………………………………..…..v Abstract ………………………………………………………………………………viii Table of Contents……………………………………………………………………..ix List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………xii List of figures…………………………………………………………………………xiii CHAPTER ONE….………………………………………………………………….1 1.0 Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………….1 CHAPTER TWO….………………………………………………………………….5 2.0 Literature Review………………..………………………………………………..5 2.1 Small Ruminant Production in Nigeria……………………………………………………5 2.1.1 Population of small ruminants in Nigeria ……………………………………….5 2.1.2 Breeds and distribution of small ruminants in Nigeria…….. ………………….5 2.1.3 Small ruminant production systems in Nigeria…….……………………………9 2.1.4 The significance of goat in Nigerian livestock economy………………………11 2.2 Nutrient Requirement of Goats……………………………………………………12 2.2.1 Energy requirement……………………………………………………………..12 2.2.2 Protein requirement……………………………………………………………..15 2.2.3 Mineral requirement……………………………………………………………16 2.3 Nitrogen Metabolism in Ruminants………………………………………………17 2.3.1 Sources of nitrogen for rumen metabolism…………………………………….17 2.3.2 Mechanism of dietary nitrogen degradation in the rumen……………………..18 2.3.3 Urea nitrogen recycling in ruminants…………………………………………..19
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2.4 Feed Resources for Ruminants in Nigeria……….………………………………20 2.4.1 Forage resources……………………………………………………………….20 2.4.2 The productivity and nutrient composition of Digitaria smutsii grass…. ……22 2.4.3 Agro industrial by- products …………………………………….……………23 2.4.4 Cotton production in relation to cottonseed cake output in Nigeria…………..23 2.5 Poultry litter………………………………………………………………………24 2.5.1 Poultry industry in relation to poultry litter output ……………………….….24 2.5.2 Poultry litter as animal feedstuff …………………….………………………..25 2.5.3 Nutrient composition of poultry litter…………………………………….……26 2.5.4 Safety in feeding poultry litter to livestock ……………………………………28 2.5.5 Methods of processing poultry litterb…………………………………………30 2.5.6 Response of animals fed poultry litter …………………………………………32 2.6 Feeding of complete diet in ruminants..…………………………………………33 CHAPTER THREE..………………………………………………………………..34 3.0 Materials and Methods…………………………………………………………..34 3.1 Experimental Site..……………………………………………………………….34 3.2 Management of Animals …………………………………………………………34 3.3 Experimental Diets and Procedures……………………………………………..35 3.4 Rumen Fluid Sampling……………………………………………………………37 3.5 Blood Sampling…………………………………………………………………..37 3.6 Digestibility Studies…………………………………………..………………….37 3.7 Chemical Analysis…….……………………………………..…………………..38 3.8 Economic Analysis………………………………………………………………38 3.9 Statistical Analysis……………………………………………………………….39 CHAPTER FOUR……………………………………………………………………40 4.0 Results…………………………………………………………………………….40
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4.1 Chemical Composition of Experimental Materials and the Experimental Diets..40 4.2 Performance Characteristics ……………………………….…………………….43 4.3Nutrient Digestibility………………………………………………………………45 4.4 Nitrogen Balance………………………………………………………………….47 4.5 Effect of diet on rumen metabolites………………………………………………47 4.6 Effect of sampling time on rumen metabolites…………………………………..49 4.7 Effect of diet on Serum Metabolite……………………………………………….51 4.8 Feed Cost Analysis.….……………………………………………………………53 CHAPTER FIVE………………………………………………………………………55 5.0 Discussion………….……………………………………………………………..55 5.1 Chemical Composition of test ingredients and experimental diets……………….55 5.2 Effect of experimental diets on growth performance of Red Sokoto bucks……..56 5.3 Effect of the experimental diet on nutrient digestibility of Red Sokoto bucks…..58 54 Effect of the experimental diet on nitrogen balance in Red Sokoto bucks…….…59 5.5 Effect of the experimental diet on rumen metabolites in Red Sokoto bucks.……60 5.6 Effect of experimental diet on serum metabolites in Red Sokoto bucks……..…..63 5.7 Feed Cost analysis of the experimental diets of Red Sokoto bucks…………..….63 CHAPTER SIX.………………………………………………………………………65 6.0 Summary Conclusion and Recommendations……………………………………65 6.1 Summary…………………………………………………………………………..65 6.2 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………65 6.3 Recommendations…………………………………………………………………66 References……………………………………………………………………………..67
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CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION Nigeria is the most populous black nation in the world with the threat of nutritional deficiency facing its citizens as a result of high cost and inadequate supply of animal protein (Nkwochaet al., 2010). Meat constitutes the foremost animal product that is highly explored by Nigerian households, particularly for direct consumption (ITA, 2004).Meat from goat contributes about 24% of the total meat supply in Nigeria (Oni, 2002).Goats rank next to cattle in income generation and their meat is quite popular and well relished (Ladele et al., 1996). Small ruminants are a source of meat products, which if improved upon would augment the existing meat supply (Shaibet al., 1997; Ajalaet al., 2008).This implies that there is room for improvement within the industry. One of the major factorsresponsible for low performance of livestock in Nigeria is nutrition. Seasonal scarcity and quality fluctuation in feed impairs growth and reproduction of animals as well as increase in morbidity and mortality rate particularly during the dry season (Uppsala, 2012). Proper nutrition of growing goats is essential to ensure their future productivity (Owens et al. 1993). On the other hand, diets for growing goats fed in confinement should be cheap and easy to handle (Martinez Marin, 2007).
Tropical grasses are usually associated with high biomass production. However, as the plants mature, the biomass accumulation is associated with thickening and high lignin content in their cell walls. These placeconstraints for microbial digestion and fermentation and consequently decrease the forage quality (Paulinoet al.,2002; Olafadehan et al., 2009).Ruminant animals in Nigeria are underfed due to high costs of feed ingredients especially plant proteins sources like soybean meal, groundnut meal
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and Cottonseed cake. The use of poultry manure as a substitute to reduce the costs of production and improved animal performance has, however, been demonstrated (Belewu, 1997; Lamidi, 2005; Jokthan et al., 2013) although there is controversy over the inclusion levels of poultry litter in the diets of small ruminants. In a trial by Narasimha et al. (2013) on the use of poultry litter to feed sheep and goats, the researchers concluded its use up to 35% level in the diet of small ruminants as un-conventional protein source without any adverse effect. Contrary to this observation, Jokthan et al. (2013) recommended a lower level of 30% inclusion in the diet of yankasa rams without any adverse effect on performance. But Nadeemet al.(1993) observed mortality in goats fed 25% and 30% broiler litter in Pakistan and recommended about 20% inclusion level in the diet for Barbari goats. This study was carried outto provide information on the optimum inclusion level of Sun-dried broiler litter in the diet of growing goats. Justification of the Study
Conventional protein supplements such as soyabean meal, groundnut cake and cotton seed cake can no longer be used widely in ruminant diets by average Nigerian farmers.The main constraints to their present and future use are their declining production and escalating price. However, differently processed poultry litteras a substitutehas been successfully used in feeding ruminants (Lamidi, 2005, Negesse et al.,2007; Azizi-Shotorkhoft et al., 2013, Jokthan et al., 2013). Broiler litter contains a large amount of protein and other nutrients which are required by animals. About 45 to 67% of its crude protein is available as True Protein, 18 to 30% as Uric acid and 12 to 17% as Ammonia, which can be utilized by ruminants (Belewu, 1997). Moreover, Poultry production is one of the fast growing sectors of livestock production in Nigeria and as suchthe litter may beavailable to farmers and cheaper than conventional protein
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supplements. Hence, poultry litter can be used as protein supplement to improve the performance of ruminants. Objectives of the study This study wascarried out to evaluate the effect of Wooly finger grass (Digitaria smutsii) hay -based diets containing varying levels of Sundried Broiler Litter on performance of growing Red Sokoto bucks. Specific Objectives The Specific objectives of the study include: 1. To determine the chemical composition of the test ingredients and the experimental diets. 2.To determine effect of inclusion levels of Sun-dried Broiler Litter in Digitaria smutsiihay -based diet on growthperformance of growig Red Sokoto bucks. 3. To determine the nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, rumen and some serum metabolites of growing Red Sokoto bucks fed the different experimental diets. 4. To study the economics of feeding the experimental diets to Red Sokoto bucks. Hypothesis Ho: There is no significant effectin feeding Digitaria smutsii hay-based diet with varying levels of Sundried Broiler Litter on growth performance,nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, rumen andserum metabolitesas well as cost economics of Red Sokoto bucks.
HA: There is significant effect in feeding Digitaria smutsii hay-based diet with varying levels of Sundried Broiler Litter on growth performance,nutrient digestibility,
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nitrogen balance, rumen andserum metabolitesas well as cost economics of Red Sokoto bucks.
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