ABSTRACT

The utilization of brewer’s dried grains (BDG) and malted sorghum sprout (MSP) by Red Sokoto Goats (RSG) was evaluated as a complete diet containing Andropogon tectorum (A.T) hay meal. Two separate experiments were conducted in a completely randomised design (CRD). Four diets designated Tl, T2, T3 and T4 were formulated to contain varying proportions ofBDG and MSP. In experiment I, nutrient digestibility and apparent nitrogen utilization by the RSG were evaluated while a feeding trial constituted experiment II. In the first study, 12 intact RS bucks weighing between 12 and 15 kg initially were transferred into separate metabolism crates and fed one ofthe experimental diets. Results showed that the diets; Tl, T2, T3, and T4 contained 15.60, 16.10, 16.59 and 17.09% CP and 1.66, 1.68, 1.68 and 1.70 MJ/kg DM energy respectively. Except for CF, all the nutrients evaluated for apparent digestibility showed statistical differences (P<0.05). Increasing levels of MSP promoted higher CP and energy digestibility. Diets Tl, T2, T3 and T4 recorded 75.23, 62.41; 82.55, 69.38; 85.50, 68.03 and 87.76, 68.54% for crude protein and energy respectively. The apparent nitrogen (N) utilization study showed that the mean body weight, dry matter intake (DMI), N-intake, absorbed-N and N-balance were statistically unaffected (P>0.05) by the dietary treatments while DMI as % oflive weight (LW), N in faeces, N in urine and apparent-Ndigestibility varied statistically (P<0.05). DMI as % ofLW were 3.22, 2.61, 2.56 and 2.68 for Tl, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. Faecal-N (g/d) values were; 3.15, 1.89, 1.65 and 1.57 while urine-N (g/d) were; 2.34, 2.14, 1.97 and 1.63 respectively for Tl, T2, T3 and T4. In experiment II, 12 bucks averaging 13.5±1.5 kg were randomly assigned to the 4 diets as used in experiment I in a 56-day feeding trial. Data on growth performance, cost of production, carcass yield and blood profiles of the experimental animals were determined. All the feed utilization parameters on growth did not vary (P>0.05) among the treatments. Cost evaluation showed that the total feed cost (N) and daily feed cost (N) were statistically similar (P>0.05) for the 4 treatments while cost/kg weight gain (N)differed significantly (P<0.05). The LW at slaughter, empty weight, warm carcass weight (kg) and dressed % were similar (P>0.05) among the means. Ratio ofbone to lean was affected (P<0.05) by the diets. Ratios of 0.28, 0.28, 0.23 and 0.26 were recorded for Tl, T2, T3, and T4 respectively Among the organs, the liver, lungs, heart, kidney and spleen were affected (P<0.05) by the treatments while the other proportions (head, limbs, skin, tail, testes and empty gut) of the offal/organs were similar (P>0.05). The PCV, Hb, RBC, MCV, MCH, MCHC and WBC were statistically affected (P<0.05) by the treatments. However, differential WBC counts were all similar (P>0.05). PCV varied from 28.29 to 32.23% while the Hb ranges from 9.06 to 11.5 Ig/dl. The WBC counts have a range of 12.62 X 103/pl to 16.95 X 103/pl. The blood glucose level, total bilirubin and creatinine remained statistically unaffected (P>0.05) while blood urea-N and direct bilirubin values were significantly different (P<0.05) among the treatment means. The glucose levels (mg/dl) ranged from 58.56 to 63.48. Highest urea-N (19.85mg/dl) was recorded for bucks on T3. It could be deduced from these results that the performance of RSG was enhanced by the different dietary treatments; hence, the adoption of BDG and MSP in a complete/total diet for efficient ruminant animal production is recommended