Dry matter intake, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance of West African dwarf bucks fed <i>Andropogon tectorum</i> supplemented differently processed cocoyam (<i>Colocasia esculenta</i>) concentrate meal

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the dry matter intake, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance by West African dwarf bucks fed Andropogon tectorum supplemented with concentrate diets using differently processed cocoyam based meal in a 4× 4 Latin Square Design. Diets A, 0% cocoyam meal (CM), Diets B, C and D with raw, soaked and toasted processing methods respectively. Four West African dwarf (WAD) bucks averaging 8.28 ± 0.47kg were used. Each buck was housed individually in a metabolism cage with specification for feed and water and also offered the experimental diets (A-D). Each animal received the diet for 24 days. Daily feed intake was determined; while urine and faecal samples were taken for analysis. Results show that among the processing methods, toasted (CM) significantly influenced (P<0.05). Dry matter intake, nitrogen intake, N-balance and absorbed-N, and N-urine. The digestible crude protein (DCP) g-1d-1Wkg0.75, metabolic faecal nitrogen (MFN) (g-1100g DM) were significantly (P<0.05) different among the experimental bucks. The diets promoted positive N-balance.

Keywords: Cocoyam, West African Dwarf goats, Processing methods, Digestibility.