Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research
 

Vol. 6(8), pp. 520-530. October, 2018.

ISSN: 2360-7874 

 DOI: 10.14662/ARJASRD2018.088

Full Length Research

Voluntary Intake and Performance of Wad Sheep Fed Ensiled Cassava Tops and Guinea Grass Mixture

*¹Binuomote, R. T. and ²O. J. Babayemi

¹Department of Animal Production and Health,

Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, P.M.B. 4000, Ogbomoso, Nigeria.

*rbinuomote@lautech.edu.ng

+2348035635575

²Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan. Nigeria.

Accepted 24 September 2018

A study was conducted to assess the effect of feeding ensiled Cassava tops(CT) and Guinea Grass(GG) mixture with four energy additives on the voluntary dry matter intake and performance of WAD sheep. The silage were combined in ratio 3:6:1 in five treatments: 1 (GG + CT + cassava chips), 2 (GG + CT + Sorghum), 3 (GG + CT + millet grains), 4 (GG + CT + sugar ) and 5 (GG + CT + no additive After 42 days of ensiling, chemical composition: Dry Matter (DM), CP, ash, Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF), and Acid Detergent Fibre (ADF) were determined. In a completely randomised design, 25 WAD sheep were fed with the five silages for 135 days to evaluate Dry Matter Intake (DMI), Daily Weight Gain (DWG), Dry Matter Digestibility (DMD). Dry Matter (27.1-28.8%), CP (21.8-24.9%), ash (7.6-9.4%), NDF (68.8-71.7%) and ADF (40.6-48.1%) of the silages differed significantly among treatments. Result showed that Dry Matter (27.1-28.8%), CP (21.8-24.9%), ash (7.6-9.4%), NDF (68.8-71.7%) and ADF (40.6-48.1%) of the silages differed significantly among treatments. The DMI (472.6-530.0 g/d) and DMD (75.8-84.7%) differed significantly while DWG was similar among treatments. Cassava tops and Guinea grass ensiled with all additives used, had good silage properties and enhanced voluntary intake, promote efficient nutrient utilization and performance by WAD sheep.

Keywords: Cassava tops, Nutritive value, Voluntary intake, Dry matter intake, West African Dwarf rams.
 

How to cite this article (APA Style): Binuomote, R. T., Babayemi O. J. (2018). Voluntary Intake and Performance of Wad Sheep Fed Ensiled Cassava Tops and Guinea Grass MixtureAcad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res. 6(8): 520-530