ABSTRACT

Fight I landrace boars at 28 weeks of age were housed in individual pens. They were randomly divided into Iwo treatments with 4 boars per treatment and 2 boars per replicate. The eight boars were fed with the experimental diet formulated in the farm containing 16% and 20% crude protein. The first treatment fed with 4% crude protein while the second treatment was fed with 20% crude protein with 2407.5 keal/kg metabolisable energy. Feeding watering and collection of left over feed were carried out on daily basis: while weighing. Measurement and collection of semen samples, analyzing semen quality were done for nightly. The experiment lasted for 16 weeks. The results showed that there was a progressive increase in the mean body weights of the boars ranging rom 58.5kg to 80.0kg and from 58.4kg to 75.5kg observed from 28^th to 38^th week of age. Feed consumption also increased from 25.20kg to 26.8kg. however there was no significant (p>0.05) effect of the feed on the body weight recorded in boars fed 16% crude protein diet compared with those fed 20% crude protein. There was a higher numerical body weight gain recorded in animals fed with 16% crude protein than with 20% crude protein (4.17 + 0.47 kg vs. 3.88 0.23 kg). It was also Round that increasing the dietary crude protein concentration from 1 6% to 20% did not significantly( V>0.05 correlate v iii body weight. fled conversion and semen variables that were measured in the boars: The semen from both treatments maintained a constant white coloration with no odour than the hoar odour hut was viscous which indicated high spermatozoa density iii the semen fluid. The performances of the boar were optimized when they were fed diet containing I 6% crude protein.