HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND NUTRIENTS DIGESTIBILITY OF RED SOKOTO GOATS FED GMELINA AND FICUS LEAVES SUPPLEMENTED WITH CASSAVA PEELS AND COWPEA HUSKS

Abstract

           5555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555The experiment was conducted to determine the nutrient digestibility and haematological parameters of goats fed two different plant leaves, (Gmelina and Ficus) based diet supplement with cassava peels and cowpea husk. The experimental feeds contains the combination of Gmelina leaves + cassava peel and Gmelina + Cowpea husks, Ficus leaves + Cassava peels and Ficus leaves + cowpea husks in designed treatment as T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. After the adaptation period of two weeks sixteen female goats were randomly allotted to four treatment components in a randomize block design with four replicates each. Data was collected for nutrient digestibility and haematological parameters was subjected to analysis of variance using Statix 9.0. The result of nutrient digestibility was significant (P<0.05) with the highest(81.45% ) crude protein level of and lowest (52.09%) in T2 and T1 respectively, while the dry matter content was significantly highest (83.22%) in T4 and lowest (27.34%) in T1.There was no significant differences observed for all the blood indices and among the four treatment components, except for PCV,
where T3 and T4 were significantly (P<0.05) different from T1and T2.This finding therefore show that all the feeds components supports the health status of the animals. in conclusion browse plants and crop byproducts should be encouraged among farmers in order to improve the ruminant performa