Browses (legume-legume mixture) as dry season feed supplemented with cassava offal based diet for West African dwarf goats

Abstract

Increasing competition between man and animals(monogasters, polygasters, microlivestock and wild/feral) for high quality feed(proteinaceous and carbonaceous concentrate) excessive pressure on land from urbanisation , hence the need of multipurpose browse-legumes (Leucaena leucocephala, Gliricidia sepium and cassava teeming biodiversifically with west African dwarf goats, with males being often off-take for festive and other reasons. Such cheap ,nutritious and incessant supply of nutritious feed that can be sourced and resourced from the aforementioned fodders. It was on this premise that twenty (20) (12+2 months, 9+ 0.6kg) West African Dwarf Does were used to evaluate the sustainability of browses in W.A.D does in dry season. The four treatments were as follows: L (Leucaena leucocephala) 20_ (Gliricidia sepium) 80; L40 + G40, L60 + G20, L80 + G 20, with cassava offer concentrate. Highest (P< 0.05) -DMI was recorded in L80 (2.09g/d),-weight gain (g/day), -NDF digestibility, -ADF digestibility, -ADL digestibility, and Nitrogen balance were observed in L80 (15.18g/d), L20 (79.36%), L60 (48.53%), L20 (48.81%) and L20 (11.999g/day) respectively. Browses can suffice for W.A.D does in the dry season pending the onset of the rainy season.

Keywords:- Legumes–Legumes mixture, Dry-Season-Feed, W.A.D-Does, Cassava offal.(3,381 words)