Evaluating the growth performance of small ruminants and the quality of stored fodder and manure in Atebubu and Amantin of the Brong Ahafo region

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June, 2015
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The study was aimed at evaluating the liveweight performance of sheep and goats and the quality of stored fodder and manure at Atebubu and Amantin in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana. Six farmers (three males and three females) were selected from each Community with each farmer providing six animals (three sheep and three goats). Feed resources used in the study areas contained 3.2-17.3% crude protein, 82-97.2% organic matter and 2.8-18% ash contents. The dietary treatments were Treatment 1 (basal diets of maize stover, cassava and yam peels), Treatment 2 (supplementation of treatment 1 with cowpea residues) and Treatment 3 (supplementation of treatment 1 with groundnut residues) in a completely randomized block design. Nutrient composition of the feed materials used in Atebubu ranged from 89.43-91.2 % (OM), 84.22-88.50 % (DM), 6.41-11.58 % (CP), 8.8-9.57 % (Ash) with that of Amantin having 83.5-89.40 % (DM), 85.62-88.97% (OM), 5.32-10.27% (CP) and 11.04-12.38% (Ash). Total feed intake (TFI) ranged from 519.55-659.72g/day and 331.84-420.17 g/day for sheep and goats respectively, with their corresponding weight gain of 14.96-25.74g/day and 8.52-18.89g/day. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) ranged from 22.08-64.24 and 18.38-53.45 for sheep and goats respectively. Samples of groundnut and cowpea residues in open and closed storage systems, taken at 1, 4, 8, 12, 14, 20, 24 and 28 weeks, showed an insignificant decline in crude protein content with storage time. Manure produced by sheep weighed 319.17-423.33g/day and contained 20.74-29.01% C, 1.87-2.32% N, 0.77-3.00 K, 9.52-26.50% Ash with a pH of 0.44-0.77 and a C:N ratio of 10.98-15.53 while that of goats weighed 178.67-216.17g/day with 19.58-30.61% C ,1.56-2.21% N, 0.82-8.33% K, 10.75-19.80% Ash with a pH of 0.37-1.47 and a C:N ratio of 9.49-19.92. The results from this trial suggest that locally available feed resources can significantly contribute to meeting the nutrient requirements of ruminants.
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A Thesis submitted to the Department of Animal Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (Animal Nutrition) Faculty of Agriculture College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2015
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