EFFECT OF FEEDING GMELINA ARBOREA LEAVES SUPPLEMENTED WITH ASPERGILLUS TREATED RICE HUSK ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND HAEMATOLOGY OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOAT (WADG) (Published)
One hundred and twenty (120) weaned West African Dwarf Goats of about 3 months of age, averaged 6.0±0.1kg body weight were used in a 84-day feeding trial. The objective of the research was to determine the effect of feeding Gmelina Arborea Supplemented with Aspergilly treated rice husk in the diets of WAD goats on their growth performance and hematological indices. The experimental diets were identified as 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% rice husk and 100% 75%, 50%, 25% Gmelina Arborea respectively. Result indicated significant (P<0.05) differences in the feed intake, weight gain, and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) among the treatments except the final body weight. However, these was no corresponding influence of the treatments on the (P>0.05) in the hematological (PCV, Hb, RBC, WBC) indices studied. Result obtained from this study showed that WAD can tolerate up to 75% Gmelina Arborea and 25% Aspergillus treated rice husk inclusion in diet without loss in body weight performance. Results suggest that intensive ruminant production may benefit from the use of rice husk and Grmelina Arborea without any detrimental effect on the health status of the animals.
Keywords: Gmelina Arborea, Growth performance, Hematology, Rice Husk, West African Dwarf Goat (WADG)
