ABSTRACT
Two feeding trials were
conducted to investigate the growth and physiological response of sheep fed
forage with and without supplementary bambara nut waste or brewers spent grain.
First trial (Experiment I) assesed the effects of dry season supplementation of
bambara nut waste or dry brewers spent grain on growth performance and blood
metabolites (blood plasma ammonia and blood plasma urea) of West African dwarf
sheep, while the Experiment 2 investigated the digestibility coefficients of
bambara nut waste and dry brewers spent grain. In experiment 1, nine sheep (six
females and three males) were randomly divided into three treatment groups at
three sheep per treatment with one sheep serving as a replicate. The first
group (control) was allowed to graze only. They were herded out at 08:00hours
and brought back at 5:00hours. The second and third groups were given 500g of
dry brewers spent grain or bambara nut waste at 8;00hours and at 11:00 hours,,
thereafter they grazed for the rest of the day. Feed intake and body weights of
the animals were recorded. The animals were allowed a pre-experimental period
of 3weeks while the feeding trial itself lasted for ten weeks (December –
February). At 3 weeks blood was collected from the animals for 4 days to
determine the blood metabolites. In experiment 2, six sheep (four females and
two males) were allowed a preliminary period of 14days, followed by7days faecal
collection. They were randomly divided into two groups (treatments) of three
sheep per treatment with one sheep serving as a replicate. One group was fed
dry Brewers spent grain and the other group fed bambara nut waste. Experiment 1
was carried out using a completely randomized design (CRD). The supplement
intake for the first experiment, the cost implication of using the two
supplements, the proximate composition, nutrient intake for the second
experiment and the digestibility coefficients were compared using t-test. In
experiment 1 there were no significant (P>0.05) differences between the two
supplements in dry matter, ash, ether extract and nitrogen- free extract while
significant (P<0.05) differences existed between the two supplements in
crude protein, crude fibre and gross energy contents. Sheep on treatments 2 and
3 had similar (P > 0.05) average final body weight, average daily weight
gain, average body weight change, blood plasma ammonia concentration, blood
plasma urea concentration and cost implication of feeding the two supplements,
which were significantly P < 0.05) higher than those of treatment 1while sheep
on treatment 3 had higher (P<0.05), feed intake treatment 1,t had
the lowest. In experiment 2 results showed that while there were significant
(P<0.05) differences between the two supplements in the intake of dry
matter, crude protein, ether extract and nitrogen- free extract, there were no
significant (P>0.05) differences between the two supplements in apparent dry
matter nutrients digestibility coefficients. Based on the results obtained this
present study, any of the supplements can be used in dry season feeding of
sheep for improved growth performance of sheep.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
The need to produce food especially animal protein to feed
the ever increasing human population is a major problem in developing countries.
Livestock account for one third of Nigeria’s agricultural GDP, providing
income, employment, food, fiber, manure and transport. They are also a major
source of government revenue (Babatunde, 1998). Livestock especially ruminants,
are the most efficient users of uncultivated land and can contribute
substantially to crop production. Proteins are very essential for the continued
existence of man and there is a strong agreement that animal protein products
such as meat, egg and milk etc are very crucial to man. This is because of the
ability of these products to furnish excellent balance of essential amino acids
necessary for normal growth and development. The proteins of animal origin are
good sources of lysine and sulphur amino acids, which are low in proteins of
plant origin (Omole, 1991). The demand for animal protein in the tropics, for
example, Nigeria has been on the increase because of the rise in human
population within the region.
Intake of animal protein at present is 4.82g/head/day (Tewe,
1999) as against a minimum required 35g recommended by Food and Agricultural
Organization (F.A.O.) (Tewe, 1999). In Europe the actual average consumptions
is put at 45g/head/day and in North America it is 70g/head/day (Tewe, 1999).
The task facing any animal scientist in Nigeria is to increase the production
of livestock products to make animal products available to our people
especially the rural populace.
Maynard and Loosli (2002), noted that it is important to
recognize that ruminants increase the supply of food for humans by consuming
materials that otherwise could contribute little or nothing to feeding people.
These include forages from rangelands, plant by-products and crop residues from
which humans are unable to derive any useful energy. Nutrition is by far the
most important environmental factor affecting livestock production and feed
cost represents 75% or more of the total cost of animal production (Cordiez et
al., 2001). Good nutrition is required if healthy animals are to give maximum
yield of meat and milk. Well nourished animals are better able to withstand the
incidence of diseases which may claim up to 50% of the flock (Devandra, 2003).
Nutrition plays a major role in the overall production,
health and wellbeing of sheep flock in particular and animals in general. This
implies that sheep producers should consider nutrition management a top
priority. According to Stevens (2009), nutrient requirement of sheep varies
with difference in age, body weight and stage of production. Insufficient
energy limits the performance of sheep probably more than other nutritional
deficiencies. An energy deficiency may result from inadequate amount of feed or
from feeds (generally forages) that do not contain enough protein to “unlock”
the energy in the feedstuff. In sheep rations, the amount of protein is more
important than quality of protein. Sheep are 26% more efficient than cattle in
converting pastures and forages into marketable products (Outhouse et al.,
2010). Thus, sheep becomes more attractive economically as grain production
cost rises. Forages supply approximately 80% of the yearly nutrient requirement
of sheep. During the grazing season sheep are able to meet other nutrient
requirement from pasture, salt and mineral supplement. Practically, all
tropical sheep are maintained on unimproved grazing. They are grazed
extensively often together with cattle and/or goats and in some more arid areas
they are sometimes grazed together with camels. Occasionally, they are tethered
on the roadside or managed indoors and fed cut forage. The sheep grazes the
pasture herbage down to the soil level aided.....
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