Nutritional evaluation of rumen epithelial tissue scrapings in goat nutrition

Abstract

Purpose

High cost of feed forms a major constraint to livestock production in Nigeria. The purpose of this paper is to show how improved nutritional strategies such as incorporation of unconventional feed resources, such as rumen epithelial tissue scrapings (RETS), which are cheap in cost and availability into the livestock diets, can reduce feed cost and hence achieve a greater profit with a optimal animal performance, become imperative.

Design/methodology/approach

Fifteen lactating West African dwarf goats were randomly allotted into each of three dietary groups (A, B and C) of five animals in a completely randomized design. Each diet contained one of the three dietary protein sources, namely, urea (A), RETS (B) and groundnut cake (GNC) (C) representing non‐protein nitrogen, unconventional natural protein and conventional natural protein sources respectively. After 90 day feeding trial, the performances (dry matter intake, weight gain, milk yield/composition and the blood chemistry) of the goats fed with RETS diet (B) were assessed and compared with those of other two groups (A and C) fed with urea and GNC diets respectively.

Findings

The result show that goats fed with RETS and GNC diets had similar performances and performed better than those fed with urea diet.

Practical implications

RETS is inexpensive and portends no danger to animal health on account of toxicity, as compared to GNC and urea respectively. Its' inclusion in goat diet, however, gives a least cost wholesome ration formula.

Original/value

Nutrition accounts for a greater proportion of production cost expenses in livestock industry. The results indicate that the cost of production can be minimized with the utilization of unconventional feed resources in goat nutrition for farmers to achieve the maximum profit.

Citation

Oluwakemi Bawala, T. and Olaleye Akinsoyinu, A. (2006), "Nutritional evaluation of rumen epithelial tissue scrapings in goat nutrition", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 36 No. 6, pp. 414-418. https://doi.org/10.1108/00346650610712225