Nutrient Intake and Digestibility of Red Sokoto Bucks Fed Varying Levels of Gmelina (<i>Gmelina arborea</i>) Leaf Meal.

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate dry matter intake, total tract digestibility and nitrogen balance by red Sokoto bucks fed varying levels of Gmelina arborea leaf meal (GLM). Diet 1 devoid of GLM served as the control. Diets 2, 3 and 4 had GLM supplemented at 10, 20, 30% levels, respectively. A 4X4 Latin square design arrangement was employed for the study that lasted for 21 days. Animals fed 10 and 20% Gmelina arborea diets had statistically (P>0.05) similar dry matter intake (442.20 and 427.80g/day, respectively) and were significantly higher (P>0.05) than values obtained for animals fed 30% level of GLM inclusion. Organic matter intake (OMI) were statistically similar and higher (P<0.05) at 0 and 10% inclusion levels of GLM, while 20 and 30% inclusion level had the lowest (389.71 and 388.52g/d). Crude protein intake (CPI) at 10 and 20% GLM inclusion levels were similar and significantly (P<0.05) higher, followed by control and the least was observed in 30% GLM inclusion level. Dry matter digestibility (DMD) was significantly (P<0.05) different across the dietary treatments, with 10% inclusion level being higher, followed by 20, and 30%. retention differ (P<0.05) significantly, at 10% GLM inclusion had (22.93 g/day), followed by the control (18.88g/day), which significantly declined with increasing level of GLM (18.74, 12.12 g/day) at 20 and 30 % inclusion level, respectively. observed was significantly (P<0.05) different, diet with 10% GLM had high observed (39.97g/day) and decreasing at 20 and 30% GLM (36.86 and 37.96g/day). retention as percent of intake followed similar pattern. From the result of this study, it can be concluded that inclusion of GLM at 10% had no adverse effect on intake and nutrient digestibility in goats

Keywords: Buck, digestibility, Gmelina arborea, maize cobs, red Sokoto bucks