EFFECT OF ANTI-NUTRITIONAL FACTORS ON RUMEN BACTERIA OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOATS FED TROPICAL BROWSE SPECIES AND CROP BY-PRODUCTS

In this study, the effects of anti-nutritional factors on rumen bacteria of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats fed tropical browse species and crop by-products were investigated. In a completely randomized design, 36 WAD goats were allotted to six (6) supplemental diets (Gmelina arborea, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Albizia saman, Maize offal, Cassava peels and Palm kernel cake), with six replicates per treatment.  Animals were fed for 84 days with Panicum maximum as basal diet. Results revealed the presence of anti-nutritional components in supplemental browse species and crop residues.  Hydrocyanide was highest (P<0.05) in cassava peels while tannin content was highest (P<0.05) in the browse species relative to the crop residues.  Results also showed reduction in microbial population in goats fed Gmelina arborea, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Albizia saman, Cassava peels and Palm kernel cake.  Goats on maize offal supplemented diet showed increases in microbial population.  Adverse effects of anti-nutritional content in feeds fed to animals were not detected in terms of intake and weight gain performances.  The reduction in microbial population in the rumen, however, indicates possibilities of bactericidal effect with feeding diets containing anti-nutritional components. Â

DRY MATTER AND PROTEIN DEGRADABILITIES OF SOME FEED INGREDIENTS SOLD IN ABEOKUTA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

A study was carried out to determine the chemical composition and evaluate the dry matter and crude protein degradabilities of some commercial feed ingredients sold in Abeokuta, Nigeria, viz corn offal, brewers dried grain, soybean meal, wheat offal, groundnut meal and maize meal. The feed samples as obtained from different sources were incubated in triplicates for 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96 hours in 3 rumen-fistulated goats. The incubation was used to estimate the in sacco dry matter (DM) and N degradation characteristics. The dry matter contents of the feedstuffs ranged from 799.3 – 956.0 g/kg. All the feedstuffs recorded low crude protein contents and high washing loss at 0 hour. They recorded more than 70% dry matter degradability at 48 hours, which implied that they were all highly degradable in the rumen. Feeding these feedstuffs in large quantities terminants may lead to diarrhea and bloat due to the accumulation of methane and ammonia gases in the rumen. However, their incorporation into high fibre diets may be advantageous in supplying rumen degradable nutrients to complement the undegradable dietary nutrients from fibrous feeds.Â

Effect of Tree Leaves on Rumen Fermentation, Microbial Count and Blood Urea Nitrogen of West African Dwarf Goats

This experiment was carried out to assess the effect of Azadirachta indica, Newbouldia laevis and Spondias mombin leaves on rumen fermentation, microbial count and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats. Sixteen WAD bucks (11.6 ? 0.9 kg in body weight) were allocated to 4 treatments: 1) Control and 2) 40 g/day of Azadirachta indica, 3) 40 g/day of Newbouldia laevis and 4) 40 g/day of Spondias mombin leaves arranged in a completely randomised design. The ground leaves were included in concentrate diets served on dry matter basis at 2% of body weight while Panicum maximum was fed ad libitum. The control diet had no tree leaves. Data were collected on chemical composition, rumen fermentation and microbial ecology, and BUN. Saponin was highest (P < 0.05) in S. mombin (8.14%) while A. indica and N. laevis had 5.78% and 1.56%, respectively. Rumen ammonia nitrogen was least (P < 0.05) in goats fed A. indica (8.35 mg/dL) while the highest (P < 0.05) total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) was obtained from goats fed S. mombin with 125.51 mM. Goats fed N. laevis yielded the highest (P < 0.05) acetate with 70.65 mol/100 mol while propionate production was highest (P < 0.05) in the rumen of goats fed S. mombin (27.15 mol/100 mol). Viable bacteria count was lowest (P < 0.05) in rumen of goats fed A. indica (3.95?1012 cfu/ml) while the least (P < 0.05) protozoa population was obtained from the rumen of bucks fed S. mombin (4.18?109 cfu/ml). All goats in the treatments containing tree leaves had higher (P < 0.05) and a rapid increase in BUN between 0 and 6 h post feeding when compared with the Control. It is concluded that feeding ground leaves of S. mombin to goats increases rumen total volatile fatty acid and propionate production and reduces the protozoa population

Effect of dietary inclusion of cashew nut shell liquid on metabolic functions of rumen bacteria in West African dwarf goats

This study investigated the effect of dietary inclusion of cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) on rumen microbial metabolic functions in West African dwarf goats. Twenty-four West African dwarf goats were divided into four groups of six animals each. Each group of animals was fed a basal diet of Panicum maximum and supplemented with one of four concentrate pellets containing CNSL at the rate of 0, 2, 4 and 6 ml/kg in a completely randomized design. Rumen fluid samples (n=6/animal) were collected from each animal after 60 days of feeding to assess the rumen metabolic functions in response to CNSL using the 16S rRNA metagenomic approach. Results revealed that the function of ammonia oxidizers was prominent while chitin degradation ranked least. The inclusion of 4 and 6 ml/kg of CNSL in supplemental diets for goats increased (P &lt; 0.05) the function of xylan degraders while ammonia oxidizers, dehalogenation, nitrite reducers, methanogens amongst others were unaltered (P &gt; 0.05). It can be concluded that 4 6 ml/kg of CNSL in supplemental pellets for goats enhanced xylan degraders implying higher hemicellulolytic functions which has implication for increased hemicellulose degradation in the rumen

Performance, Digestibility and Nitrogen Balance of West African Dwarf Goats Fed Azadirachta indica, Newbouldia laevis and Spondias mombin Leaves

The effect of dietary inclusions of ground tree leaves (Azadirachta indica, Newbouldia laevis and Spondias mombin) on performance, digestibility and nitrogen balance of West African dwarf goats was studied for a ten week period. Twenty four (24) bucks were (10.8±0.6 kg) distributed into four treatments (tree leaves and a control (no leaf)) in a completely randomised design. The leaves were included at 40g/day into the concentrate feed at 2% of body weight on dry matter basis while Panicum maximum was provided as basal diet ad libitum intake. Data obtained on chemical composition, performance, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance were analysed using one way analysis of variance. The crude protein (g/kg) content of P. maximum was significantly (P &lt; 0.05) lowest (78.00) while the highest was in N. laevis (177.00). Saponin (g/kg) contents of the leaves ranged from 10.56 in N. laevis to 80.14 in S. mombin. Daily intake (616.82 g/day) and weight gain (22.00 g/day) of goats increased (P &lt; 0.05) with inclusion of S. mombin but the inclusion of A. indica resulted in loss of weight (12.43 g/day). Digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and fibre fractions were not affected (P &gt; 0.05) by inclusion of ground leaves. However, crude protein and ash digestibility of the animals fed ground leaves decreased significantly (P &lt; 0.05) compared with the animals in the control. Inclusion of A. indica and S. mombin into the diets of the animals reduced the nitrogen balance of goats. It can be concluded that feeding goats with ground leaves of S. mombin significantly increased weight gain while inclusion of N. laevis in the diets of goats resulted in better crude protein digestibility, nitrogen balance and retention.Keywords: saponin, tannin, intake, weight gain, rume

Effects of Molasses and Storage Period on the Chemical, Microbial and Fermentation Characteristics of Guinea Grass - Cassava Leaves Silage

The study was conducted to determine the effects of molasses and storage periods on the chemical composition, microbial and fermentation characteristics of silage produced from guinea grass and cassava leaves mixture. Guinea grass was harvested at 2 months regrowth from an established pasture and cassava tops collected immediately after root harvest consisting of only the tops with the green stem and its leaf canopy. The forages were wilted and thoroughly mixed in the ratio of 70:30 (guinea grass: cassava leaves); mixed with molasses at the rate of 0, 2, 4 and 6 % and ensiled for 30 and 60 days respectively for fermentation. The DM, CP, NDF, HCN and tannin contents of the ensiled guinea grass and cassava leaves significantly reduced as the level of molasses addition and storage period increased. The acetic acid fermentation was high in the 0, 2, 4 and 6% molasses addition with values ranging from 40.2 to 42.4 g/kg DM while the lactic acid content was only 18.4 to 30.3 g/kg DM at the 0% molasses addition. However, lactic acid fermentation increased significantly as both the storage periods and molasses addition increased from 0 to 60 days. The highest bacterial count (8.4 log cfu/g) was recorded at the 0% molasses addition and this significantly reduced as molasses addition increased from 0 to 6% and as the ensiling periods elongate from 0 to 60 days. However, a sharp decline in fungi count was observed with increase in the percentage of molasses added. The bacteria isolated from the silage were Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus spp., Enterobacter spp., Proteus spp., Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus buchneri. It is concluded that ensiling mixture of guinea grass and cassava leaves with molasses increased lactic acid and suppressed the production of acetic and butyric acids with drastic reduction in microbial load.Keywords: Guinea grass, cassava, storage period, molasses, fermentation, chemical compositio

Effects of supplementing Leucaena leucocephala and conserved forages from natural pasture on the performance of grazing calves

Twelve white Fulani × N'dama cross-bred calves weighing 83.79 ± 1.16 kg were used in an 84-day experiment to investigate the utilization of forage resources from natural grazing land. The experimental diets were sole grazing, grazing + hay, grazing + silage and grazing + Leucaena leucocephala leaves. The calves were divided into four groups of three animals each and were randomly assigned to the four experimental diets. Crude protein (CP) contents of the forages ranged from 59 to 171 g/kg dry matter (DM). Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) contents of the forages ranged from 560 to 705 g/kg DM and 363 to 440 g/kg DM, respectively. Significantly (P < 0.05) higher values in mineral contents (Ca, K, P and Mg) were recorded for L. leucocephala leaves compared to other forage resources. Variations (P < 0.05) were observed in the average daily gain. Animals on grazing + L. leucocephala leaves diet had the highest (113 g/day) average daily gain, while those on sole grazing showed the least value (26.2 g/day). Packed cell volume (PCV), total serum protein, urea and calcium concentration showed significant differences (P < 0.05). Effective utilization of forage resources from the natural pasture by the calves was attained on supplementation with conserved forages and L. leucocephala leaves without any deleterious effects on the haematological and serum parameter