Performance and Nutrient Digestibility of West African Dwarf goats fed <i>Panicum maximum</i> supplemented with <i>Gmelina arborea</i> leaves mixture

Abstract

An experiment was carried out to investigate the performance and nutrient digestibility of twenty (20) growing West African Dwarf bucks, aged 4-6 months weighing between 6.50 9.00kg were fed varying levels of Gmelina arborea leaves and Panicum maximum as a basal diet for 56 days. The results showed that dry matter intake increased (P<0.05) with supplementation of Gmelina arborea leaves, with T (100% G. arborea leaves and 0% P. maximum) having the highest dry matter 5 intake (4.93kg) and T (50% G. arborea leaves and 50% P. maximum) have the least 3 value (4.03kg).Goats fed T (75% P. maximum and 25% G. arborea leaves) has the 2 highest weight gain (28.57g/day) followed by T (16.79g/day) while T (100% P. 3 1 maximum and 0% G. arborea leaves) has the least value of 5.54g/day. The nutrient digestibility trial showed that T diethas the highest dry matter digestibility (88.06%) 3 while T diet had the lowest value of 87.68, with no significant difference (p<0.05). 2 The highest (CP) digestibility (9.58%) and (CF) digestibility (22.53%) was recorded in T diet. Based on the result of this study, it can be concluded that Gmelina arborea 5 appeared to have the potential as protein feed supplements as well as serves as a good feed resource for modern intensive ruminant animal production at inclusion level of 75%Panicum maximum and 25% Gmelina arborea leaves for a better feed utilization, and at 100% Gmelina arborea leaves and 0% Panicum maximum to achieve best dry matter intake.

Key words: WAD goats; legume; tropical grass; digestibility