Effect of replacing brewer’s spent grain with cassava peel meal on carcass and economy of West African dwarf bucks fed <i>Panicum maximum</i> basal diet

Abstract

Cassava peel meal (CPM), Brewer’s spent grain, (BSG) and Panicum maximum (basal diet) were fed to West African dwarf bucks to determine the carcass characteristics and economy of production. Diet A, the control was 52% maize-based diet. Diet B was 25% CPM and 75%BSG), Diet C consists of 50% CPM and 50%BSG while Diet D is made up of 75%CPM and 25% BSG. The bucks were fed for 56 days. Diet C produced the highest warm carcass weight which was significantly higher Pp<0.05) from diet B. Dressing percent of bucks on diet C (43.52%) and diet A (40.72%) were similar but significantly higher (P<0.05) than diets B (34.02) and D (35.55). Shoulder weight for control treatment A (1225g) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than other treatment groups. Bone to lean ratio showed no significant difference among the diets. Except for heart and kidney, all other organs did not differ significantly (P>0.05). The cost of production per kilogram weight (kg) showed that bucks placed on diet C had the least cost (N262.38) with cost reduction of 84.60%, while those on diet A had the highest cost (N1,637). The outstanding results of bucks on diet C indicated that the inclusion of same quantities of cassava peel and brewer’s spent grain in West African Dwarf bucks could be a diet of choice for fattening the bucks for more meat production at a lower economic rate because of the cheaper cost of cassava peel and brewers spent grain.

Keywords: Brewer’s spent grain (BSG), Carcass characteristics, Cassava peels, Panicum maximum, West African dwarf goat