Comparative evaluation of cottonseed cake, poultry litter and dried cassava leaf (Manihot esculenta cranz) meal on growth performance of Yankasa lamb rams

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the dietary inclusion of cottonseed cake (CSC), sun dried poultry litter (SDPL) and dried cassava leaf meal (DCLM) on the performance of Yankasa rams. Eighteen (18) weaner rams, weighed 11.5 to 15.5 kg were randomly allotted into three dietary treatments with six animals per treatment in a completely randomized design. The concentrate diet contained CSC, SDPL or DCLM as the main sources of protein with each nitrogen source serving as a treatment designated as COSM, POUT or CASM, respectively, in the supplementary concentrate mixtures. Each group was assigned randomly to one of the three dietary treatments. The diets were formulated to be iso-nitrogenous to contain 15% CP. The result of chemical analysis showed that treatment COSM or POUT diets had higher values of crude protein than CASM diet. Feed intake were similar (P>0.05) across the treatments, Animals fed CASM diet had significantly (p<0.05) lower final weight gain (27.68 g/d), total weight gain (3.68 g/d) and average daily weight gain (40.87g/d) compared to animals fed COSM or POUT diet. Feed conversion ratio were similar (p>0.05) across the treatment. In conclusion, concentrate mixture of different protein sources improved the growth performance of the rams especially those fed COSM or POUT diet without adverse effect on the feed intake. It is recommended that farmers should feed their livestock at 2 % body weight of the concentrate containing CSC or SDPL.