Potentials of pulverised maize-cob based meal for milk production by West African dwarf goats in South West Nigeria

摘要

The continuous demand for milk and its products globally has necessitated the need for alternative source of milk aside cattle.The West African dwarf (WAD) goat which is predominant in South West Nigeria could serve this purpose for household milk supply.Twelve primiparous lactating West African dwarf (WAD) does weighing 11.50–12.55kg were assigned to three pulverized maize-cob diets of four animals per diet in a completely randomized design.Does were kept intensively and fed concentrate diet at 1％of their body weight and test diets ad-libitum respectively.Total dry matter intake (TDMI) was significantly higher (P＜0.05) in diet A at early (657.71g/day) and late lactation (828.85g/day) respectively.Milk compositions were significantly different at (P＜0.05) except for protein,lactose and ash.However,diet B had the highest protein (3.85％),diet A recorded the least lactose (4.42％),total solid (14.55％) and ash (0.98％) contents.Differences in milk composition observed in the study suggest thatmilk composition is related tofeed and the diet could sustain milk production in goats.