Weight Gain and Economic Implications of Feeding Uda Rams with Graded Levels of Dietary Mineral Salt (Potash) in Tullun Gwanki Grazing Reserve, Silame Local Government Area, Sokoto State, Nigeria.
Journal Title: Global Journal of Animal Scientific Research - Year 2015, Vol 3, Issue 4
Abstract
The study was conducted to examine weight gain and economic implications of feeding Uda rams with graded levels of dietary mineral salt (potash) in TullunGwanki Grazing Reserve, Silame Local Government Area, Sokoto State, Nigeria. TullunGwanki Grazing Reserve was purposively selected because of the predominance of pastoralists in the area. One hundred respondents were randomly selected from a list of four hundred and fifty pastoralists collected. All the sampled respondents were contacted and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Feeding trial using sixteen growing uda lambs in a randomized complete block design was conducted. A complete diet was formulated and divided into four treatments; treatment A (control) without dietary mineral salt while treatments B, C and D contained potash at 1.25; 2.50 and 3.75kg/100/diet respectively. The animals were fed for the period of nine weeks in which daily records of feed and water intakes and weight gain were kept. Data were were analysed using descriptive statistics, farm budgeting and analysis of variance. Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test (DMRT) was used to separate the means where significant differences exist. The study showed that majority of the farmers (76%0 practiced semi-intensive systems of management and most of them (64%) used common salt in feeding uda rams. The average quantity of dietary mineral salt used by the pastoralists in TullunGwanki grazing reserve was 2.5kg /100kg/ diet. Result of the experiment showed that treatment D gave the highest average daily gain at a feeding level of 3.75kg/100kg diet. Treatment D also gave the best result interms of cost of feed/kg live weight gain (962.83N/kg) as compared to treatments B and C. Similarly, net farm income obtained from the sale of uda under treatment D was highest. Based on the outcome of the study, it was concluded that, farmers in TullunGwanki Grazing Reserve were yet to exploit minerals to the maximum tolerable by uda sheep as they used 2.5kg rather than 3.75kg/100kg diet. Hence, it was recommended that 3.75kg/100kg diet should be used by pastoralists, and animal breeders since it gave the best result in terms of profit and weight gain.
Authors and Affiliations
Musa Dantani Baba, A. L. Ala, M. A. Maikasuwa
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP29189
- DOI -
- Views 326
- Downloads 5
Study on Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Nematodes and Coccidian Parasites Affecting Cattle in West Arsi zone, Ormia Regional State, Ethiopia
Livestock production constitutes one of the principal means of achieving improved living standards in many regions of the developing world including Ethiopia. A cross sectional study was conducted from November 2013 to...
Evaluation of Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of Indigenous Fowl Ecotypes and Exotic Broiler Strains Raised Under Hot Climate
This study was conducted to investigate the influence of genotype on growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat chemical composition traits of chickens under hot climatic conditions. Two exotic meat strains (...
Histopathology & Necropsy Findings of Clostridial Enterotoxaemia in Two Damascus Goat Kids: A Case Report.
In this report we describe the necropsy and histopathological findings of clostridial enterotoxaemia in 2 Damascus goat kids for the first time. Seven cases of diarrhea occurred among kids in a farm of Damascus goats i...
White Blood Cells Tolerance Levels of Adult Rabbits Exposed To Crude Oil Ingestion in Niger Delta Region Nigeria.
A study was conducted to determine the white cells threshold levels of rabbits exposed to crude oil ingestion in the oil producing region of Niger Delta of Nigeria. a total of thirty four (34) rabbits consisting of two...
Sheep and Goat Marketing and Consumption in Relation To Religious Festivities in Shifting and Permanent Farming Systems in Western Ethiopia
This study explored sheep and goat marketing and consumption in shifting farming system (SFS) and permanent farming system (PFS) in relation to festivities in Western Ethiopia. A cross-sectional random survey involving...