EFFECTS OF SUPPLEMENTING SUN-DRIED POULTRY DROPPINGS ON NITROGEN BALANCE OF GROWING YANKASA RAMS FED SORGHUM STOVER BASAL DIET

Abstract

This study was conducted using fifteen growing Yankasa rams with an average weight of 13.5kg in a completely randomised design (CRD) to study the effects of feeding sun-dried poultry droppings on nitrogen balance on growing Yankasa rams. The animals are randomly allotted to five treatment groups namely treatment T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 each consisting of three replicates with one animal per replicate The animals were fed Sorghum Stover supplemented with sun-dried poultry droppings
(SDPD) such that the animals were fed 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%, SDPD for treatments T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 respectively. Results indicated that Positive nitrogen balance was observed across the treatment groups. Nitrogen intake was significantly higher (P<0.05) with increasing level of SDPD in the diets. Similar trend was observed for Nitrogen retention. However, there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in urinary N output between treatment T2 and T3. But treatment T2 and T3 had significantly (P<0.05) higher values than treatment T1, T4 and T5 respectively. It was concluded that sun-dried poultry droppings included in the diets of growing Yankasa rams up to 80% improves Nitrogen intake, nitrogen balance and retention.