EFFECT OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC MANURE ON CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND IN SACCO DEGRADABILITY OF GAMBA GRASS (ANDROPOGAN GAYANUS) HARVESTED AT FOUR WEEKS

Abstract

This study was aimed at assessing the long time effect of organic and inorganic manure (control, pig waste, poultry litter, cow dung and NPK fertilizer) on the nutritive value and digestibility using the nylon bag technique. The experiment was carried out at the teaching and research farm University of Ibadan between March and September 2014. Seedlings of A. gayanus were planted on a total land area of 1382.5m2 which was cleared and subdivided into 30 sub plots of 4m x 4m with 1m within and between plots respectively. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design of five manure treatments i.e cow dung, pig waste, poultry litter, NPK 15:15:15 and control. The Manure type affected (p<0.05) CF, ASH ADF and NDF but had no (p>0.05) effect on CP, DM and NFE and potential degradability. It was recommended from this study that farmers should adopt the use of organic manure of animal origin such as pig waste, cow dung and poultry litter respectively as a viable alternative for ease of establishment of this grass species as livestock feeds in order to remove competition with humans on conventional feed stuff.