Effect of supplementation of different level of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) foliage on growth performance of male yearling local goat in Dilla substation, Southern Ethiopia
Worku Bedeke Beraedo*
Published: July 20, 2022
Abstract
In accessibility and increase in price of commercial concentrates as a supplement for ruminants laid a way to look for other options in hand. The aim of current study was to identify the optimum level supplementing cassava leaf meal (CLM) as a replacement for protein on growth performance and economic efficiency of local goats. Twenty four intact yearling bucks with an average initial body weight of 13.92 ± 1.03 kg were purchased from Balela local market and assigned to one of the four treatment feeds in a completely randomized block design as: T1= Grazing + 100gm WB + 150gm CLM, T2 = Grazing + 100g WB + 200g CLM, T4= Grazing + 100g WB + 250g CLM (T4= Grazing + 300g Concentrate mix). All animals were allowed access to water ad libitum and the experiment was undertaken for 90 days live weight gain, DM intake, FCR and cost-benefit analysis were parameters studied during experiment. The chemical composition of feed samples was conducted immediately before commence of actual experiment showed that cassava leaf meal has high protein content which is above the minimum requirement level for optimal rumen microbial activity (22.94%) and low fibres content which are readily digestible (30.37%) indicating that it can be potentially used as supplemental feed for ruminants in areas where other sources are not available and/or are expensive. Supplemental feeding of 250gm of air dried CLM and 100gm of WB in current experiment positively influenced the economic efficiency and growth performance of animals by providing higher feed intake and greater weight gain as compared to T1 group and T2. The results from daily live weight gain were 63.1g, 69.9g, 93.22 and 103.78g for T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. Bucks in T3 and T4 (positive control) gained better than (93.22 and 103.78g/day) bucks in T1 & T2. Whereas the results from DMI were, 3.3kg, 3.0kg, 3.5kg and 3.7kg for T1, T2, T3, and T4 respectively. Even though goats in T4 performed relatively better than all other treatment groups, supplementation of air CLM (T3) was economically feasible, profitable. Therefore, supplementing goats those which graze on natural pasture with 250g of dried CLM and 100gm of WB will be feasible for optimum production. Further study on maximum inclusion level of dried cassava leaf meal has to be studied in grazing goats.