Authors : A.O.Oni , C.F.I. Onwuka , O.O. Oduguwa , O.S. Onifade , O.M. Arigbede and J.E.N. Olatunji
Abstract: Sixteen West African Dwarf goats weighing 5.0-5.6 kg were used in an experiment that lasted 112 days to investigate the utilization of citrus pulp based diets and E. cyclocarpum by West African Dwarf (WAD) goats. A control diet which contained 88.5% Brewers� Dried Grains (BDG) and the three experimental diets in which BDG was replaced by citrus pulp at 25, 50 and 75% levels in the experimental diets, respectively constituted the four treatments. The goats were divided into four treatment groups of four animals each. Each group of animals was then assigned to one of the four different experimental diets formulated. Significant growth rates (p<0.05) of 22.14-34.02 gd +1 were obtained with the highest growth rate recorded at 50% level of dried citrus pulp inclusion while the growth decreased with increasing levels of dried citrus pulp in the diets. Nitrogen intake (gd-1) decreased significantly (p<0.05) with increasing levels of dried citrus pulp in the diets from 45.57-33.28 and was lowest in the control diet. Nitrogen retention also followed similar trend, being highest (42.07 gd-1) at 25% level of dried citrus pulp replacement in the diet. The Packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration, red blood cells, white blood cells and total blood protein were significantly (p<0.05) different across the dietary treatments at the start and end of the trial. The values for PCV, Hb, RBC, MCH, glucose and total protein decreased significantly (p<0.05) different in the control diet. Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase (SGPT) values also increased significantly (p<0.05) with increasing levels of dried citrus pulp in the diets at the end of the experiment and were highest (6.50 IU/L) at 75% level of citrus pulp. Therefore, the efficient utilization of citrus pulp and E. cyclocarpum by WAD goats was attained at the 50% level of inclusion in the diets.
A.O.Oni , C.F.I. Onwuka , O.O. Oduguwa , O.S. Onifade , O.M. Arigbede and J.E.N. Olatunji , 2006. Utilization of Citrus Pulp Based Diets and Enterolobium cyclocarpum Foliage (Jacq. Griseb) by West African Dwarf Goats. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 5: 814-818.