Nutrient Intake and Utilization of Pigeon Pea-Cassava Peel Based Diets by West African Dwarf (WAD) Bucks

Four West African dwarf (WAD) bucks averaging 11.75 kg in weight and aged between 12-15 months were used to determine the nutrient intake and digestibility of pigeon pea-cassava peel based diets. The diets A, B, C and D were formulated (from cassava peel, palm kernel cake, brewers` dried grains, bone meal and common salt) to contain 0, 10, 20 and 30% pigeon pea seed meal (PSM), respectively. The diets were randomly allotted to the 4 animals in a 4x4 Latin square design. Parameters determined were feed intake, dry matter intake (DMI), nutrient digestibility and the nitrogen balance status of each animal. Also determined were metabolic faecal nitrogen (MFN), endogenous urinary nitrogen (EUN) and digestible crude protein (DCP) for maintenance. Results showed that incorporating PSM in cassava peel based diets generally enhanced intake in WAD goats. The dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF) and energy digestibility coefficients (%) differed significantly (P< 0.05) among treatments. The values were 63.70, 51.27, 56.65, 64.78; 64.93, 57.85, 58.13, 65.39; 68.08, 61.95, 64.65, 69.42 and 71.20, 66.25, 64.27, 72.64 for diets A, B, C and D, respectively. Faecal nitrogen, nitrogen balance and apparent nitrogen digestibility values did not differ (P>0.05) but tended to increase from diets A-D as nitrogen intake increased. Nitrogen content of urine was affected by dietary treatments (P< 0.05). The values (g/d) were 0.74 for diet A, 0.79 for diet B and 0.80 and 0.82 for diets C and D, respectively. Metabolic faecal nitrogen (g/100gDM), endogenous urinary nitrogen (g/d/Wkg 0.75 ) and digestible crude protein (g/d/Wkg 0.75 ) values for maintenance were 0.19, 0.269, 1.50; 0.22, 0.031, 3.18; 025, 0.021, 4.87 and 0.34, 0.035 and 5.31 for the respective diets. The PSM fed bucks required 2.8 times as much DCP as the control fed bucks for maintenance. All diets promoted positive N-balance.