Effect of supplementary protein source on the performance of indigenous meat goats fed Guinea grass hay

摘要

Theeffectofdifferentsupplementaryproteinsourcesonaveragebodyweightgain,feedintake,digestibility,nitrogenbalanceandfeedconversionnbsp;wasstudiedusingtwenty-fouryearlingMubendegoats.Theanimals,whichaveraged15.4±2.1kg,wereassignedtofourtreatmentdietsinarandomizedcompleteblockdesign.nbsp;Thebasaldietconsistedofguineagrasshayfedtogetherwith200gofmaizebran/mineralmixture.Thefourproteinsupplementsincludedlablabhay(LBLB),sweetpotatovines(SPV),cassavaleafmeal(CLM)andsunflowermeal(SFM).Theproteinsupplementssupplied10gNdailyforafeedingperiodof100days.nbsp;Thereafter,allmalegoatsweretransferredtometaboliccagesforanitrogenbalancetrial.nbsp;nbsp;CassavaleafmealsupportedbettergrowthandfeedconversionandhigherNretentioncomparedwithLablabhay,sweetpotatovinesandsunflowerseedmeal.