Performance Of West African Dwarf Sheep Fed Alchornea Cordifolia Supplemented Wit Concentrate

ABSTRACT

The effect of supplementing Aichornea cordfoiia with concentrate diet on performance of twelve West African dwarf sheep in a 63-day feeding trial was carried otit. rFlC animals were randomly divided into 4 groups in a randomized complete block design. Each group was fed dried foliages of A. cord/fbi/a and concentrate in varying proportions such that 100% concentrate (the control diet) was designated diet .1. Total daily dry matter intake was replaced (W/W in %) with 25% (diet 2), 50% (diet 3) and 75% (diet 4) of the browse A. cord/tb/ia. The parameters measured were average daily gain (ADG), average daily dry matter intake (DM1) feed conversion ratio (FCR) and DM1 as percentage of body weight. The mean DM1 were not significantly different (P>0.05) from one treatment group to another with regards to different supplementation levels. The DM1 values ranged from 516.56g in diet 3 to 613.96g iii diet 1. The FCR values ranged from 6.03 in diet2 to 7.51111 diet 1. Cost per kg weight gain among the treatment groups differed (P<0.05). Dietary inclusion of 75% browse resulted in the best economics of production. >