Evaluation of different combinations of palm kernel cake - and cotton seed cake - based diets on the performance of West African Dwarf goats

Abstract

An experiment was carried out using 15 West African Dwarf goats (8 - 10kg body weight) to investigate the comparative performance of the animals when different combinations of palm kernel cake and cotton seed cake were contained in their diets. Results indicated that 40% palm kernel cake (zero cotton seed cake) in the diets significantly induced better feed utilization for gain (100g/d) and feed conversion ratio (3.70), least total dry matter intake (4.8% body weight) and least water consumption (40ml/ w0.75 kg; P>0.05) than other combinations. The least crude protein (15.5%) and the highest metabolizable energy (8.37MJ/kg) diet (40% PKC) provoked the fastest growth rate (100g/d) in the animals. Concentrate intake was higher in all the treatments than grass intake. The blood glucose, total blood protein, blood urea nitrogen and cost per kg body weight (18.3, 13.3, 31.0mg/dl and N33.8 (0.4 US dollar), respectively) were significantly lower in goats fed sole palm kernel cake based diets than those fed combinations of palm kernel cake and cottonseed cake. It is concluded that palm kernel cake alone (without any combination with cottonseed cake) is adequate as protein source in compounding protein supplements for West African Dwarf goats for profitable performance.

Keywords: Palm kernel cake, cotton seed cake, goats, performance