Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
Abegunde, T.O., Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Akinsoyinu, A.O., Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
The replacement value of Ficus polita for Panicum maximum was evaluated on 32 female post-weaned West African dwarfs goats. Ficus polita was fed with P. maximum at different proportions of 0:90 (F. polita:P. maximum), 30:60, 60:30 and 90:0 constituting diets 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Each diet was supplemented with 10% cassava peels. Dry matter intake per kg metabolic weight of goats was not significantly (p>0.05) influenced by the dietary treatments. However, crude protein intake per kg metabolic weight was higher (p<0.05) in animals fed 60% and 90%F. polita than those fed sole P. maximum diet. Daily weight gain of goats fed diet 3 (60%F. polita) was higher (p<0.05) (27.3g) than those fed diets 4 (18.9g), 2 (20.8g) and the control (6.6g). Dry matter (DM), organic matter, crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fibre digestibilities were higher (p<0.05) in goats fed 60%F. polita than those fed other diets, except for DM digestibility which was statistically similar to diets 2 and 4 but higher than those fed diet 1 without F. polita. Organic matter and CP digestibility were highest (72.0 and 65.7% respectively) in animals fed 60%F. polita. Nitrogen retention of goats fed 60%F. polita (diet 3) was higher (p<0.05) than that obtained with other diets. The results suggest that feeding combination of F. polita and P. maximum at ratio 60:30 respectively has associative effects that can enhance growth rate, feed intake, nutrients digestibility and nitrogen utilization for goat production during dry season in the tropics. © 2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
animal; animal disease; animal food; article; cassava; chemistry; clinical trial; controlled clinical trial; controlled study; diet; digestion; female; Ficus; goat; growth, development and aging; millet; randomized controlled trial; Animal Feed; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Diet; Digestion; Female; Ficus; Goats; Manihot; Panicum; Animalia; Capra hircus; Manihot esculenta; Panicum maximum