Article,
Response of Pregnant and Lactating West African Dwarf Goats to Dietary Replacement of Maize with Sun-Dried Cassava Peels
Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, (2017)
Abstract
: This study evaluated the response of pregnant and lactating West African Dwarf does to replacement levels of maize with sun-dried cassava peels (SCP). A total of twenty seven (27) goats with mean body weight of 15.70±0.81 kg were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 dietary treatments. Each treatment group was replicated nine times with one doe per replicate in a completely randomized design. Experimental diets were formulated to contain 0%, 15% and 30% SCP to replace maize weight by weight (w/w). The replacement levels of maize with SCP had no (P > 0.05) effect on growth performance of the dams and kids. Dietary treatments had no (P > 0.05) effect on live weight changes. However, weeks of gestation had a (P < 0.05) effect on changes in weight. Dietary treatments had no (P > 0.05) effect on milk production and the milk components of ash, butterfat, total solids, solid-not-fat and milk energy content, however, milk protein and lactose content were (P < 0.05) affected. Crude protein was higher (P < 0.05) in the milk of does fed the replacement of maize with SCP at the 0 and 15% levels compared to the does fed 30% replacement levels of maize with SCP. Lactose was higher (P < 0.05) in the milk of does fed the 0 and 30% replacement levels compared to the 15% level of replacement. Crude protein increased linearly (P < 0.00) while lactose showed a quadratic increase (P < 0.00) as levels of replacement increased. In conclusion, replacement of maize with SCP up to 30% level showed no effect on growth performance, and milk production but decreased milk protein and improved lactose content.
