ABSTRACT

The study was conducted to determine the effect of inclusion level of cowpea haulms and groundnut haulms on the growth performance and haematological parameters of Red sokoto goats. Nine goats were allocated to three dietary treatments which were formulated to contain 40% cowpea haulms, 40% groundnut haulms and 20% cowpea ː 20% groundnut inclusion. In a Completely Randomised Design (CRD). Each animal was fed 2.5% of the body weight of the experimental diet for a period of 12 weeks. The chemical composition of the experimental diet in crude protein shows a similar value at the different inclusion level of feed, crude fiber had highest value of41.65% at 20% cowpea : 20% groundnut haulms inclusion. There was no significant (P<0.05) increase in feed intake, average daily weight gain and total weight gain. Animal fed diet with 40% inclusion of cowpea haulms recorded the highest weight gain of 4.7kg. Total weight gain increases significantly (p<0.05) across the treatment. Inclusion level of cowpea and groundnut haulms in the experimental diet significantly affects haematological parameters across the treatment. The PCV recorded the highest value of 30.00% at  20% cowpea haulms + 20% groundnut haulms level of feed inclusion.There was significant (p<0.05) increase in haemoglobin with inclusion level of cowpea and groundnut haulms. Total protein had no significant effect across the treatment. It was concluded that 40% cowpea haulms improved growth performance.

TABLE OF CONTENT

TITLE PAGE....................................................................................................................................i

DECLEARATION..........................................................................................................................iiCERTIFICATION..........................................................................................................................iiiDEDICATION................................................................................................................................iACKNOWLEDGEMENT...............................................................................................................TABLE OF CONTENTS..............................................................................................................vii

ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................x

CHAPTER ONE1.0  INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................11.1  Justification of the study.......................................................................................................21.2  Objective of the study................................................................................................2

CHAPTER TWO 2.0       

 LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................4

2.1 Origin and Domestication of Goat........................................................................................4

2.2      Classification of Goat...................................................................................................5

2.3 Classification of Nigerian Goat Breeds........................................................................6

2.3.1    Red Sokoto Goat..................................................................................6

2.3.2 Sahelian Goat....................................................................................7

2.3.3 West African Dwarf Goat.................................................................8

2.4     Population Density of Goats...................................................................8

2.5     Goat Production Systems............................................................................9

2.5.1 The Subsistence System......................................................................9

2.5.2 The Extensive System...................................................................10

2.4.3 The Semi-Intensive System:...................................................10

2.5.4  The Intensive System:.....................................................................10

2.6    Goat nutrition...................................................................................11

2.6.1  Groundnut Haulms.....................................................................12

2.6.2   Cowpea Haulms..........................................................................12

2.7       Livestock feed resources in Nigeria..............................................................................13

2.7.1  Browse plant....................................................................14

2.7.2  Improved pastures................................................................15

2.7.3 Crop Residues.................................................................................................................16

2.8      Improvement on Crop Residues.............................................................16

2.8.1  Physical processing................................................................17

2.9      Feed supplementation.....................................................................................................17

2.10  Heamatological and Biological Changes in Ruminants..................................................18

CHAPTER THREE3.0  MATERIALS AND METHODS.....................................................................................20

3.1  Experimental Site.........................................................................20

3.2  Experimental Materials..............................................................20

3.3  Experimental Design and Animals.....................................................20

3.4  Management of Animals.....................................................................................................20

3.5  Experimental Diet...............................................................................................................21

3.6  Laboratory Analysis............................................................................................................21

3.7  Blood Sample Analysis.......................................................................................................21

3.8  Statistical Analysis..........................................................................22viii

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.......................................................................................23

4.1  Chemical Composition of the Experimental Diets.................................................23

4.2:  Effect of Experimental Diets on Growth Performance.................................................24

4.3:  Effect of experimental diets on Haematological parameters...................................25

4.4: Effect of experimental diets on Serology................................................................27

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0  CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION............................................................29

5.1 Conclusions.........................................................................................................................29

5.2 Recommendation............................................................................................................29

REFERENCES............................................................................................................................30ix