CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The West African dwarf (WAD) goat is a household livestock owned by most-rural families in the Southern part of Nigerian. The animal is noted for the ability to convert poor quality fibrous feed to useful animal products. The problem encountered during the dry season in developing countries necessitated for an aggressive search for less conventional feed stuff, without compromising the quality of various ingredients to be supplied. In Nigeria, food competition exists between humans and livestock for the conventional feed stuffs. As a result, these when available become exorbitant. The ever increasing livestock population in Nigeria therefore calls for alternative sources of livestock feeds. The instability of fodder led to the search for cheap sources of energy and protein to supplement the low quality forage during the dry season.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The West African dwarf (WAD) goat is a household livestock owned by most-rural families in the Southern part of Nigerian. The animal is noted for the ability to convert poor quality fibrous feed to useful animal products. The problem encountered during the dry season in developing countries necessitated for an aggressive search for less conventional feed stuff, without compromising the quality of various ingredients to be supplied. In Nigeria, food competition exists between humans and livestock for the conventional feed stuffs. As a result, these when available become exorbitant. The ever increasing livestock population in Nigeria therefore calls for alternative sources of livestock feeds. The instability of fodder led to the search for cheap sources of energy and protein to supplement the low quality forage during the dry season.
This search for alternative feeding materials has over the past few decades rekindled research interest in the use of tropical browse plants as sources of nutrients for livestock feeds for ruminants and non ruminants (D’mello and Fraser, 1991; Aletor and Omodara, 1994).
Waste agricultural residues (rice husk) which constitute a nuisance to the environment can be used to a greater extent if properly processed. The various processing methods include physical, mechanical, chemical and biological (Belewa et al., 2004).
Fear about the future availability of grains for use in animal feed around the world has been evident at various meeting and conferences recently (Best, 2006).
Annual quantity of fibrous residues from cereal available in Africa was put at about 340 million tones (FAO, 2005). If the huge amount could be recycled or converted to useful feed stuff, the whole environment will be cleaned of pollution thereby improving human health.
Rice husk, which is rich in lignocelluloses materials has a complex of three polymers, viz cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. The three components constitute a complex that is poor nutritionally but because of the enormous quantities available, it nevertheless represents a potentially valuable material for future biotechnological exploitation (Eggeling, 1983).
1.1 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDYThe objectives of the study were:
1. to evaluate the effect of Gmelina arborea leaf meal supplemented with Aspergillus treated rice husk on the growth performance of West African dwarf goats.
2. to determine the haematological indices of West African dwarf goats fed Gmelina arborea leaf meal supplemented with Aspergillus treated rice husk.
1.2 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY Browse plants constitute an abundant biomass in farmlands, bush fallows and forests in humid tropical environment of Africa. The potential of leaf meals of these tropical trees like Gmelina arborea to yield relatively higher levels of crude protein and minerals and lower crude fiber levels than tropical grasses has been recognized (Onwuka et al., 1989, Fashona et al., 2004; Okogbare et al., 2004; Amata, 2010). Studies have shown that replacement of energy and protein sources from conventional feeding material by browse plants leaf meals neither affects productivity in terms of growth performance (Amata and Bratte, 2008) and cost reduction (Amata et al., 2009) nor hematological and serological. characteristics (Amata, 2010).
Rice husk which is a waste from processed rice is readily available which usually constitutes environment degradation or hazard can be recycled to be of importance in the animal nutrition and biotechnology, hence this research work.
Rice husk which is a waste from processed rice is readily available which usually constitutes environment degradation or hazard can be recycled to be of importance in the animal nutrition and biotechnology, hence this research work.