Development of Dry Season Supplements for Ruminants and Their Degradation Characteristics in the Semi Arid of Nigeria

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to develop dry season supplement for ruminants and their degradation characteristics. Ten (10) different rations were formulated, F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, and F10 using a mixture of different locally available feed ingredients with different inclusion levels which includes sorghum husk, maize bran, wheat offal, millet bran, rice bran, bran (dusa), cowpea husk (as energy source), cotton seed cake, groundnut haulms and poultry litter   (as protein source). Rumen degradation of the formulations revealed that at 6, 12 and 18 hours, F9 and F10 recorded significantly higher degradability with no statistical difference in degradability amongst F1 through to F8. At 48 hours of incubation period The % DM degradation for all the formulations is not significantly different which ranged from 76.50% - 79.84% DM while at 72hours it ranges between 78.84% - 83.67% DM degradability. The cost of production from this analysis showed that highest production cost was (N6100) equivalent to $39.35 while least production cost was (N2710) equivalent to $17.48. 20% inclusion level of poultry litter in ruminant ration will result in a significant increase in rumen DM degradation by stimulating activities of rumen microbes’ thereby increasing digestibility of crop-residues which are mostly fibrous in nature.