Performance Characteristics of Goat fed Trichoderma treated Feather Meal-Rice Husk Mixture Belewu M.A.*, Muhammed N.O.1, Ajayi F.T., Abdulgafar D.T.1 Microbial Biotechnology and Dairy Science Laboratory, Department of Animal Production, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. *Corresponding author: Dr. M.A. Belewu, E-mail: milkyinka@yahoo.com; mabel@unilorin.edu.ng
1Department of Biochemistry. Abstract Twelve West African Dwarf goats (10.0±3.5 kg BW) were devided into three equal groups in a completely randomized design model and fed for a 56 day period either diet A (control, soybean based diet), diet B (10% feather meal+15% rice husk) or diet C (12.5% feather meal+12.5% rice husk). Total DM intake was highest in diet C, followed by B and A, respectively. Similar trends were recorded for crude protein intake and crude fibre intake. Diet C also recorded highest ether extract intake while diet B was lowest. Dry matter digestibility, crude protein digestibility, crude fibre digestibility and ether extract digestibility were also significantly higher in C compared to other diets. The results of the haematological parameters showed similarities among the experimental diets. In conclusion the result suggests that the diet of West African goats can be composed of 12.5% feather meal plus 12.5% rice husk with encouraging results in all the parameters studied. Top Keywords Feed intake, Weight gain, WAD goats, Feather meal-Rice husk mixture. Top |