Department of Animal Production and Range Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment Gulu University, P.O.Bo x 166, Gulu, Uganda; Department of Animal Science Faculty of Agriculture, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Kato, H.W., Department of Animal Production and Range Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment Gulu University, P.O.Bo x 166, Gulu, Uganda; Kabi, F., Department of Animal Science Faculty of Agriculture, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; Mutetikka, D., Department of Animal Science Faculty of Agriculture, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
The effect of different supplementary protein sources on average body weight gain, feed intake, digestibility, nitrogen balance and feed conversion was studied using twenty-four yearling Mubende goats. The animals, which averaged 15.4±2.1 kg, were assigned to four treatment diets in a randomized complete block design. The basal diet consisted of guinea grass hay fed together with 200g of maize bran/mineral mixture. The four protein supplements included lablab hay (LBLB), sweet potato vines (SPV), cassava leaf meal (CLM) and sunflower meal (SFM). The protein supplements supplied 10g N daily for a feeding period of 100 days. Thereafter, all male goats were transferred to metabolic cages for a nitrogen balance trial. Cassava leaf meal supported better growth and feed conversion and higher N retention compared with Lablab hay, sweet potato vines and sunflower seed meal.