Biomedical Research

The agricultural produce known to be a waste product is increasingly being viewed as a valuable source of alternative feed for livestock. The use of these products might have detrimental effect(s) on the animals and this necessitated the need to upgrade the nutrient qualities. So, the combinations of the products as silage could influence the reproductive performance and milk yield of West African dwarf goats.

Twenty sexually mature WAD does aged 7-8 months with average body weight of 9 ± 0.00 kg were sourced from livestock market at Otun Ekiti, Nigeria. They were randomly allotted into five treatment groups and each treatment consisted of 4 does per replicate and thereafter subjected to completely randomized design for thirty-two weeks feeding trial. The diets contained four levels of fermented cocoa pod at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 and cassava pulp at 60, 55, 50, 45, 40 percent levels respectively while 40% Acacia leaf were included in all the groups.

Combinations of the silage had significant (P<0.05) effects on the reproductive performance of does. The results revealed that there were increased does body weight (14.60 ± 0.14 kg), birth weight (1.27 ± 0.02 kg) and weaning weight (7.70 ± 0.14 kg) of weaners on diets T5 (20% cocoa pod, 40% cassava pulp and 40% acacia leaves). Likewise, does on 20% cocoa pod, 40% cassava pulp and 40% acacia leaves had high significant (P<0.05) milk composition and (3,400.97 ml/animal/month) milk yield compared to others. Cocoa pod could be included in goats diets up to 20% without adverse effect on the reproductive performance, milk yield and composition.

Author(s): Raimi CO, Adeloye AA, Olawoye SO
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