The effects of certain fodder tree supplements on rumen ecology and on the utilization of low quality roughages

The low quality and slow fermenting roughage basal diets in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) amply justifies the need to supplement such basal diets. Fodder trees have proved to attractive recently as energy, protein and mineral supplements when ruminants are fed such fibrous roughages. Unlike the morer uniform oil seed cakes, the high innter- and intra-specific variation among tree leaves confirms the need to evaluate tree leaves on their individual merit. The trials Reported here involved various types and formms of fodder trees (FTs) and the results indicated significant differences (P0.05) differences. Addition of a readily available energy source improved roughag intake and nitrogen utilization. When FTs were fed. The presence of certain antinutritional factors in some FTs suppressed the growth of Ruminoccocus. High levels of tannins were found to reduce the efficiency of nitrogen utilization as evidences from the high faecal nitrogen output. Improved ruminant productivity was achieved when FTs, which provide certain critical nutrients, were fed as supplements. The increased roughage intake, digestion, kinetics and animal growth were attributed to the better rumen ecology created in such animals

Garico: A new food or feed resource?

A study was undertaken to examine the potentials of Garico, a by-product of Gari production, from cassava as a new food or feed resource. The procedures for the preparation of Garico, the nutrient composition, its utilization, its particle size distribution compared to that of Gari and the compara-tive prices of Garico, Gari and maize were determined. Structured questionnaires were adminis-tered to 15 and 10 Gari producers in Anloga and Kpo Kɔʄe in the Ashanti and Volta Regions re-spectively. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics as described by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. The results obtained indicated that Gari produc-tion is dominated by women (80%). Some of the respondents (44%) mentioned that Garico is being consumed by humans and domestic animals. The preference of an average consumer was 68% for Gari only, 4% for Garico only and 28% for both Gari and Garico. Most of the respondents (60%) admitted that the shelf life of Garico could be 1-2 years. The cost per kg of Garico was ¢ 2.76 in the Volta Region and ¢ 3.29 in the Ashanti Region. Nutrient compositions of Garico (ME- 2957-3060 kcal/kg; CP- 0.9-1.4% and CF- 1.38-2%) and Gari were similar and there were some critical pro-cessing differences. The mean particle size of Garico was 2mm compared to Gari which ranged from 500μm to 1mm. It was concluded that Garico could be used both as a food and feed resource if diets are well-balanced and particular attention is paid to economic considerations

Assessment of the production, nutrient composition and some mineral elements levels in corn-mill sweepings (CMS) from various sources in the Kumasi Metropolis

This study was conducted to assess the production practices, nutrient composition and mineral elements status of corn mill sweeping (CMS). Twenty semi-structured questionnaires were admin-istered to corn mill operators in the Oforikrom Municipality of the Ashanti Region. Data on their socio-economic characteristics, types of mills used, and management and production of CMS were collected and samples of the CMS were also collected for chemical analysis. Data collected were analysed by descriptive statistics outlined by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results showed that almost all (95%) mill operators interviewed were males. A majority (65%) of the mill operators were below the age of 40 years. All mill operators interviewed had two or more different machine types and they included grinding mill, crushing mill, hullers and pound-ing machines. Most (95%) of the millers use locally manufactured grinding plates. Food and feed items that could form part of the milling processes were cassava, fish, groundnut, soya beans, cow-pea, and paddy rice. The study further revealed that the majority (75%) of the millers produce be-tween 6 - 25 kg CMS/day. The proximate analysis showed that the %CP, %Ash, %Ether extract, %CF, NFE and ME ranged between 8.53-14.51, 2.11-6.28, 1.05-3.66, 0.53-3.51, 76.34-84.62 and 3304.18-3574.65 kcal ME/kg DM respectively. The qualitative and quantitative mineral analysis revealed six minerals, namely; cadmium (0.06-0.61mg/kg), calcium (15,198-20,419mg/kg), phos-phorus (2604.90-4291.50mg/kg), zinc (24.26-47.23mg/kg), iron (351.1-1781.50mg/kg) and copper (37.25-230.81mg/kg) to be present in the CMS. It was concluded that substantial quantities of CMS are produced daily by mill operators for feeding farm animals to meet their nutrients and energy requirements. Operators must however ensure that toxic materials do not contaminate the CMS

The performance of Djallonke sheep fed on diets containing various proportions of cocoa pod husk and 5 percent NaOH-treated maize cobs

In three experiments five diets which contained O, 150, 300, 450 and 600 g kg-1 of cocoa pod husk (CPH) and 600, 450, 300, 150 and 0 g kg-1 of treated maize cobs were evaluated. The other ingredients were wheatbran, cotton seed cake, dicalcium phosphate, NaCl and a trace mineral and vitamin premix. The ingredients were milled through a 6 mm sieve. In the first experiment (growth rate studies) 50 yearling Djallonke females weighing 5-13 kg were allocated randomly to the five diets, and dry matter intake, body-weight gain and feed conversion efficiency were determined. In a second experiment (metabolism studies) five young weaned Djallonke ram lambs weighing 5-11 kg were fed on each of the five diets in a Latin-square design. Feed intake, apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter and organic matter and digestible dry matter and digestible organic matter intakes were measured. In a third experiment, the diets were also given to five fistulated adult wethers (Djallonke X Sahel) in a Latin-square design, and rumen pH was measured from 1 to 12 h and also 24 h after feeding. In the growth rate studies, dry matter intake significantly increased from 73 g kg-1 W0.75 to a maximum of 101 g kg-1 W0.75 as the proportion of CPH increased from 0 to 600 g kg-1 diet, but growth rates (ranging from 37 to 55 g per day) and feed conversion efficiency were not significantly affected by dietary treatments. In the metabolism studies, feed intake increased with increasing levels of CPH in the diet, but intakes of digestibile dry matter and degestible organic matter were not significantly affected by the dietary treatments. The apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter and organic matter were significantly affcted by the dietary treatments, with increase in COH level reducing the values. The rumen pH, although low perhaps because of the grinding of the ingredients, was not the cause of the low digestibility of the CPH-containing diets