Nutrient intake of West African dwarf (WAD) goats fed cassava peels supplemented with nitrogen sources

A feeding trial was carried out for 60 days with 40 growing West African Dwarf (WAD) bucks aged 5 - 7 months with an initial weight of 5.25 kg±0.35 to determine their nutrient intake. The goats were randomly allocated to five treatments, each treatment had eight replicates. Five diets were compounded CPU (100% urea treated cassava peel). CPF (60% untreated cassava peel, 40% cassava foliage), CPM (60% untreated cassava peel, 40% poultry manure), CPUF (60% untreated cassava peel, 20% cassava foliage and 20% treated cassava peel).CPFM (60% untreated cassava peel, 20% cassava foliage, 20% poultry manure). Result obtained indicated that nutrient intake significantly (P<0.05) varied among the dietary treatments. CPU had significant (P<0.05) higher dry matter intake, organic matter intake, crude fibre intake and nitrogen free extract intake than other treatments while CPF had significantly (P<0.05) better crude protein intake than other treatments. Acid detergent fibre intake was significantly (P<0.05) higher in CPM (163.g/d) while NDF had significant higher value in CPFM (198.96g/day). Hemicellulose intake was significantly (P<0.05) higher (93.02g/day) in CPM than other treatments. The study revealed that supplementing the diets of grazing West African Dwarf goats with nitrogen sources such as urea, cassava foliage, poultry manure can boost the intake of the animals which thereby leads to better productive performance of the animals.