Performance Evaluation of West African Dwarf (WAD) Goats fed unripe plantain peels as replacement for <I>Pennisetum purpureum</I>.

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of replacing Pennisetum purpureum with unripe plantain peels on the performance of West African Dwarf Goats. Thirty buck kids with an average weight of 7.00 ± 0.55kg were randomly assigned to three dietary treatment groups with ten bucks per treatment in a completely randomized design. The three compared diets were, A(solely Pennisetum purpureum that served as the control group), B (equal ratio of Pennisetum purpureum and unripe plantain peels i.e. 34:34) and C (solely unripe plantain peels). Parameters studied included growth, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen retention of the bucks. Results obtained showed that finial body weight, total weight gain, daily weight gain, daily feed intake, digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre, ash, neutral and acid detergent fibre, with nitrogen intake, nitrogen balance and retention were significantly (P<0.05) highest in dietary treatment A. Bucks on dietary treatment C were significantly (P<0.05) best in terms of feed conversion ratio, digestibility of ether extract and faecal nitrogen output. o significant (P>0.05) difference exist in bucks with regards to initial body weight and urinary nitrogen. It can be concluded that equal ratio of Pennisetum purpureum and unripe plantain peels (34:34) improved growth, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen retention in West African Dwarf goats.

Keywords: Unripe plantain peels, growth, digestibility, Nitrogen retention, Goats.