| Abstrakt: |
The search for local, cheap and alternative sources of protein is of research interest in animal production. The potential use of dried poultry waste as protein in the diet of West African dwarf (WAD) goats was discussed in this study. Growing and healthy WAD goats (28), balanced for weight and sex were used. Six sets of diet were formulated of which the first three (D1, D2 and D3) had varying inclusions of soybean (11 %, 21 % and 34 % respectively) and the last three (D4, D5, and D6) had varying inclusions of dried poultry waste (15 %, 33 % and 51 % respectively) as sources of protein such that D1 and D4 were iso-nitrogenous with 10 % crude protein, D2 and D5 were iso-nitrogenous with 15 % crude protein; and D3 and D6 were iso-nitrogenous with 20 % crude protein. Each diet was fed to a group of WAD goats as supplement to Cynodon nlemfuensis basal diet for a period of 28 days. Feed intake, feed conversion efficiency, digestibility, nitrogen retention, protein efficiency ratio and net protein utilization were determined. Analysis of proximate composition of the diets revealed high crude fibre in D4 (20.0) and D5 (20.0) compared to D1 (11.0), D2 (18.0), D3 (11.0) and D6 (13.0). WAD goats fed D1, and D2 had the highest feed conversion efficiency of 12.7 and 15.0% respectively compared to D4 (9.70%) and D5 (12.2%). Treatment D6 had a negative feed conversion efficiency of -2.3%. WAD goats fed D4 and D5 however showed a significantly (P<0.05) higher nitrogen retention. D5 treatment presented the highest protein efficiency ratio of 4.56. WAD goats fed D4 and D5 had higher net protein utilizations that were significant (P< 0.05) among all the groups. The amount of dried poultry waste that may be used economically as protein in the diet for WAD goats was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
