Growth Performance and Nutrient Digestibility of West African Dwarf Goat Fed Unsalable Pumpkin Leaves and Cassava Peels Concentrate

Abstract

The study examined Growth Performance and Nutrient Digestibility of West African Dwarf Goats (WADG) Fed Unsalable Pumpkin Leaf Wastes (UPLW) and Cassava Peels Concentrate (CPC) Diets:  WADG (n=45) weighing 4-6 kg at 4-5 months old were allotted randomly to five dietary treatments (9 goats each) in a completely randomized design for 12 weeks. Treatment one (UPLW 100%), while T2 (50%+50%), T3 (60%+40%), T4 (70%+30%), and T5 (80%+20%) UPLW+CPC respectively. Data collected: Initial Body Weight (IBW), Final Body Weight (FBW), Total Body Weight Gain (TBWG), Average Daily Weight Gain (ADWG), and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR). At study's end, rumen content was collected from 3 goats per treatment for pH, ammonia nitrogen, and Total Volatile Fatty Acids (TVFA) determination. Dietary treatments had significant (P<0.05) effects on FBW, TBWG, ADWG, butyric acid, and pH. Goats fed UPLW 70% and CPC 30% were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of T1-T5. FCR was significantly (P>0.05) lower in T4 (5.91) and T5 (5.89). Goats fed diet 4 exhibited the highest butyric acid (6.29) production and a pH (6.05). It can be concluded that a 70:30 UPLW to CPC ratio increased growth performance of WADG.