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ABSTRACT
Feed is an important aspect of livestock production. The importance of feed supplementation in animal production has increased in the last few years. Maize (Zea mays L.), a major cereal grown worldwide, generates husks which can be used as ruminant feed ingredients. There are efforts to use maize husks as an animal feed because of the high competing demands with humans for the grain. Estimates of 180 to 200 kg of maize husks produced per ton of grains translate to significant quantities of maize husks being potentially available as feed resources. Hence, this study is to evaluate the feed intake and weight change of West African dwarf goat fed green and boiled maize husk ensiled with cassava leaves and peels with or without Urea.
Twenty-five (25) experimental animals were adapted for a period of 2 weeks (14 days) to acclimatize before data collection started. The animals were randomly divided into five treatments of five (5) animals per group. Each group was randomly allotted into the five treatments using Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Feed materials such asmaize husk were sourced from road side maize processors, while Guinea grass, cassava peel and cassava leaves were sourced from farms chopped to about 2.5cm in length and ensiled. The animals were fed daily (morning and evening) for 84days, along with clean water. The feed served each day was weighed. The difference between the weight of what was served and the left over on the following day was recorded as the intake. The weight of each goat was taken before the start of the experiment. The goats were weighed every weekend subsequently and was recorded. The weekly weight gain of individual goats was determined by subtracting the weight of the previous week from the present week.
