Growth performance and economic analysis of West African Dwarf Rams fed Moringa oleifera and cotton seed cake as protein supplements to Panicum maximum

Growth performance and economic analysis of West African Dwarf Rams fed Moringa oleifera and cotton seed cake as protein supplements to Panicum maximum

2013

E08270

This study was conducted to evaluate the replacement values of Moringa oleifera leaf meal and cotton seed cake as protein sources in a concentrate mix fed as supplements to Panicum maximum for West African Dwarf (WAD) yearling rams for 84 days. Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MLM) replaced cotton seed cake (CSC)(0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) in a supplement containing maize, rice bran, bone meal, salt and premix and denotes as Diet 1,2,3,4 and 5 respectively. Chemical composition of the main ingredients revealed that the crude protein of CSC was 34.0g Kg -1, MLM 22.1gKg-1 and Panicum maximum 8.1g Kg-1. Panicum maximum recorded the highest content of 58.6g Kg -1 neutral detergent fibre while the value for CSC and MLM were 38.5 gKg-1 and 36.2g Kg-1 respectively. Diet 1 (0%MLM) contained the highest CP (21.68g Kg-1) while others values were 19.84, 19.47, 17.85 and 15.75 g Kg-1 DM in Diets 3,2,4 and 5 respectively. Intake decreased with increasing dietary levels of MLM (P<0.05) while body weight of rams did not differ. Average weight gain in each animal was 47.25g day-1. Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) was least in Diet 5 at 6.90 while diets 1 and 3 had values of 7.93 and 7.84 respectively. The cost effectiveness as MLM increased in the diets is shown in Diet 5 and the cost per metabolic weight\n gain of N1.90 Kg-0.75 and N3.03 Kg -0.75 were observed in Diets 5 and 1 respectively. Thus MLM\n can completely replace CSC as protein source in a concentrate mix fed to WAD sheep as supplement to basal Panicum maximum diet. Reduced cost of production is an advantage to the resources poor farmers.

3(2):58-63, AMERICAN JOURNAL OF FOOD AND NUTRITION

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