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Reproductive performance of female goats fed life-enzyme (<i>Zymomonas mobilis</i> treated sawdust) as component of formulated diets
Abstract
Direct-fed-microbes (DFM) (life-enzyme) was prepared in a traditional setting using Zymomonas mobilis (bacteria from palm sap) to ferment sawdust. The result revealed an improvement in the nutrient content of the sawdust and its feed values (protein, fibre etc.), and the feed usage efficiency. The reproductive performances of Red Sokoto (Maradi) goats fed direct-fed-microbes or life-enzyme (Zymomonas mobilis treated sawdust) were studied, using 18 goats (12 females and 6 males), aged 4 -5 months. They were free of helminth and trypanosome infections. The goats were divided into 3 groups (A, B and C) of 4 females and 2 males and were confined separately on concrete floored with wood shaven pens. Group A was maintained on 15% untreated sawdust diet with 12.04% crude protein (CP) day-1, and group B and C were placed on 15% and 20% direct-fed-microbes (Zymomonas mobilis treated sawdust) with dietary protein of 12.79% and 13.04% day-1 throughout the growing period until the end of the study. The result showed that animals on the direct-fed-microbes gained significantly more weight (B= 99.0g, and C= 53.0g) (P<0.05) than those of the control (A= -20.0g) with untreated sawdust. The direct-fed-microbes does had significantly (P<0.05) higher body weight (B= 18.81kg and C= 12.67kg) than the control (5.20kg) with untreated sawdust. The final body condition score (B= 3.99 and C= 3.88) of the goats given the direct-fed-microbes were higher, and revealed significant (P<0.05) over those goats fed untreated sawdust diet (1.0). Equally, the does fed the direct- fed-microbes delivered and weaned kids of significant higher birth weight (B= 1.97kg and C= 1.41kg), and weaning weights (B= 3.99kg, C= 2.89kg) than those given untreated sawdust (P<0.05). The protein efficiency ratio followed the same trend (B= 2.36, and C= 0.77) showing the direct-fed-microbes (sawdust treated Zymomonas mobilis) goats with better performance (P<0.05) over the untreated sawdust (A= -0.94). It was concluded that sawdust treated Z. mobilis in rearing productivities when fed to Maradi goats enhanced foetal development, birth weight, mammary gland development and promoted lactation, all of which enhanced survivability of the neonates.
Keyword: Performance, life-enzyme, female goats and treated saw dust
