Dry matter acceptability and digestibility of nutrient by West African dwarf Rams fed polyenzyme treated cassava peel and corn cob based diets

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of polyenzyme treated corn cob based diet on the dry matter acceptability and nutrient digestibility  by West African dwarf rams. Sixteen (16) rams were used in a completely randomized design, comprising of 4 per treatment in metabolic cages for digestibility while for acceptability each animal was allotted to a pen and the cafeteria feeding method employed. The dietary treatments were: T1  (cassava peel untreated); T2 (corn cob untreated); T3 (polyenzyme treated cassava peel) and T4 (polyenzyme treated corn cob) respectively. The result for dry matter acceptability showed that T3 had the highest value for dry matter intake (979.20g/h/d); coefficient of preference (1.06) and percentage of preference (26.44%). Significant (p<0.05) difference were obtained for the digestibility percentages of all the proximate nutrients. The  digestibility values recorded for T3 was the highest (P<0.05) for DM (78.81), CP (81.91), CF (70.24), EE (37.40), NEF (80.05), NDF (76.99) and ADF (71.69). However, it is recorded that inclusions of polyenzyme to cassava peel and corncob have a promising acceptability, enhanced and efficiently utilized by sheep. The study shown that treatment of cassava peels and corn cob with polyenzyme improved and sustain ruminants during period of feeds insufficiency. Also, provide a better utilization of wasteful cassava peel and corn cob to feedstuff so as to improve farmers that practice intensive ruminant management.

Keywords: Dry matter acceptability, digestibility, polyenzyme, cassava peels, corn cob, WAD rams.