COMPARATIVE INTAKE, DIGESTIBILITY AND NITROGEN UTILIZATION OF UREA ENSILED SORGHUM PANICLE AND BREWER’S DRIED GRAIN BY RED SOKOTO GOATS

Abstract

Fifteen growing Red Sokoto goats with average weight 13.28kg were used to evaluate digestibility of urea (4% w/w) ensiled (UESP) and unensiled (SP) sorghum panicle and brewer’s dried grain (BDG) by Red Sokoto goats. The trial was conducted for a period of 14 days. Treatments T 1, T 3 T 4 and T were supplemented with brewer’s dried grain at 200g, 150g, 150g and 200g respectively while T2was fed urea-ensiled sorghum panicle without brewer’s dried grain. Sorghum panicle intake was significantly (p<0.05) different among the treatments with T 5,  T 4 and T 2 significantly higher than T 1 and T 3 with values that ranged from (62.03g/d – 144.49 g/d). T 1 and T 3 were similar (p>0.05) in sorghum panicle intake. BDG intake (g/d) was similar (p>0.05) across the treatments. Dry matter intake (DMI) ranged from 130.33g/d in T2 – 226.92g/d in T5 and differ significantly (p<0.05) among the treatments with T 5 being the highest, T 4 was higher than T 1 while T 2 and T 3 were similar (p>0.05) and lower than T 1. It was concluded that urea treatment did not significantly improve sorghum panicle intake perhaps due to the repulsive smell of ammonia but supplementation with brewer’s dried grain improved overall dry matter intake at 200g/head/day BDG supplementation. It is recommended therefore that farmers could supplement poor sorghum panicle with BDG for improved performance especially during the dry season when forages are scarce.