GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF GROWING YANKASA RAMS FED CONCENTRATE WITH VARYING INCLUSION OF GINGER

Abstract

 Ginger rhizome is a spice and may be beneficial in ruminant nutrition due to its inherent composition such as essential oils and its quality anti-microbial factor. The use of herbs and spices has been employed so as to bypass the use of antibiotics which has raised a number of public health concerns globally. The examinations were carried out on the effect of ginger rhizome powder on the growth performance. In a completely randomized design, ground raw dry Zingiber officinale Roscoe (ginger) rhizome was added to the feed of growing Yankasa rams aged 6-8 months. The supplementation with different levels of ginger powder at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20g/kg of the diets were indicated as G1, G2, G3, G4, and G5 respectively. A total of 25 Yankasa rams were allotted to 5 treatments, with each ram kept in individual pen with access to feed and water. Weight gain (WG, (g)) and Fe eed conversion ratio (FCR) were assessed. Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance, of Statistical analysis systems (SAS). The result showed that WG oframs on G3 (5.30) diet is higher than in the other treatments G1, G2, G4 and G5 (2.00, 4.00, 3.00 and 2.70). The FCR of G3 (7.39) is lower than in other treatments G1, G2, G4 and G5 (30.73, 15. 79, 13.06 and 19.18). Summarily, dried ginger rhizome powder can be said to improve the ‘performance of Yankasarams at 10g/kg inclusion level.