JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE AND VETERINARY MEDICINE
Integrity Research Journals
ISSN: 2536-7099
Model: Open Access/Peer Reviewed
DOI: 10.31248/JASVM
Start Year: 2016
Email: jasvm@integrityresjournals.org
Morphometric characteristics of sheep and goat fed silage comprising of cassava peel, gamba grass and Mexican sunflower
https://doi.org/10.31248/JASVM2021.301 | Article Number: 115D48EB5 | Vol.6 (6) - December 2021
Received Date: 22 November 2021 | Accepted Date: 23 December 2021 | Published Date: 30 December 2021
Authors: Ayoola J. Shoyombo , Mustapha A. Popoola , Ake A. Moses , Olayinka O. Alabi , Ekemini M. Okon* , Ahmed E. Jubril and Comfort I. Ukim
Keywords: small ruminant., Alternative feed, gamba grass, Mexican sunflower, morphometric characteristics, silage
The constant demand for less expensive and more easily available alternative feed sources for animal production is on the increase. This is particularly true in the tropics, where feed availability varies according to the season. Based on this necessity, this study aims to evaluate the impact of feeding silage to sheep and goats on growth and development. A total of 22 animals comprising of 11 Yankassa breed and 11 West African Dwarf breed were used for the study. The animals were confined and allowed to acclimatize to the environment for about 14 to 21 days, followed by 5 weeks of study. The forage used for silage was Gamba grass (Andropogon gayanus) and Mexican sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) mixed with equal amounts of cassava peel and molasses in different proportions for three different treatments. Body length, neck circumference, height at withers, heart girth, and body weight were significantly higher (p<0.05) in animals fed T3 diets compared to all other diets, while animals on the T2 diet had higher ear length than T3. Except for neck circumference, ear length, and bodyweight of animals raised on diet T1 and the control group were statistically similar, all the test groups were significantly better than the control group in terms of performance. The highest body weight of 16.74 kg was recorded in T3, followed by 15.97 kg in T2, 12.12 kg in T1, and the least value of 10.09 kg in the control group. No apparent adverse effects were noted in the feeding of silage to the animals as the animals were healthy throughout the duration of the study. More research on the use of silage in feeding indigenous goat and sheep breeds is needed to further understand the impact of silage on animal performance and morphometric traits.
| Abdel-Moneim, A. Y. (2009). Use of live body measurements for prediction of body and carcass cuts weights in three Egyptian breeds of sheep. Egyptian Journal of Sheep and Goat Sciences, 4(2), 17-32. | ||||
| Abedo, A. A., Hafez, Y. H., Khalifa, E. I., Mohamed, B., & El-Zolaky, O. A. (2013). Milk yield and composition of dairy Zaraibi goats fed microbial inoculated corn silage. Egyptian Journal of Sheep and Goat Science 8(1), 141-151. Crossref |
||||
| Adegoke, A. T., & Abioye, A. A. (2016). Improving livestock productivity: Assessment of feed resources and livestock management practices in Sudan-Savanna zones of West Africa. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 11(5), 422-440. Crossref |
||||
| Aina A. B. J. (2012). Goat (Capra hircus): A misunderstood animal. 35th Inaugural Lecture 2012, Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Nigeria. 28th March, 2012. | ||||
| Anaeto, M., Sawyerr, A. F., Alli, T. R., Tayo, G. O., Adeyeye, J. A., & Olarinmoye, A. O. (2013). Cassava leaf silage and cassava peel as dry season feed for West African dwarf sheep. Global Journal of Science Frontier Research Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, 13(2), 1-4. | ||||
| Aziz, M. A. (2010). Present status of the world goat populations and their productivity. Lohmann Information, 45(2), 42-52. | ||||
| Bassano, B., Bergero, D., & Peracino, A. (2003). Accuracy of body weight prediction in Alpine ibex (Capra ibex, L. 1758) using morphometry. Laboratory Animal Science.,42(6), 589-592. Crossref |
||||
| Browne, E. M. (2000). Maize silage- based diets for finishing beef cattle. Ph.D. Thesis. The University of Reading, UK. | ||||
| Cam, M. A., Olfaz, M., & Soydan, E. (2010). Possibilities of using morphometrics characteristics as a tool for body weight prediction in Turkish Hair Goats (Kilkeci). Asian Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 5(1), 52-59. Crossref |
||||
| Coleman, S. W., & Evans, B. C. (1986). Effect of nutrition, age and size on compensatory growth in two breeds of steers. Journal of Animal Science, 63(6), 1968-1982. Crossref |
||||
| Dewhurst, R. J., Fisher, W. J., Tweed, J. K., & Wilkins, R. J. (2003). Comparison of grass and legume silages for milk production. 1. Production responses with different levels of concentrate. Journal of Dairy Science, 86(8), 2598-2611. Crossref |
||||
| Food and Agricultural Organisation of United Nations (FAO) (2021). Nigeria agriculture at a glance. Retrieved 19th November, 2021 from https://www.fao.org/nigeria/fao-in-nigeria/nigeria-at-a-glance/en/. | ||||
| Hariadi, B. T., & Santoso, B. (2010). Evaluation of tropical plants containing tannin on in vitro methanogenesis and fermentation parameters using rumen fluid. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 90(3), 456-461. Crossref |
||||
| Herrera, M., Rodero, E., Gutierrez, M. J., Pena, F., & Rodero, J. M. (1996). Application of multifactorial discriminant analysis in the morphostructural differentiation of Andalusian caprine breeds. Small Ruminant Research, 22(1), 39-47. Crossref |
||||
| Iqbal, Z. M. (2010). Relationship between live body weight and body measurements in Kajli sheep. M.Phil Thesis, Department of Livestock Production, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore. | ||||
| Khaing, K. T., Loh, T. C., Ghizan, S., Halim, R. A., & Samsudin, A. A. (2015). Feed intake, growth performance and digestibility in goats fed whole corn plant silage and Napier grass. Malaysian Journal of Animal Science, 18(1), 87-98. | ||||
| Lanyasunya, T. P., Musa, H. H., Yang, Z. P., Mekki, D. M., & Mukisira, E. A. (2005). Effects of poor nutrition on reproduction of dairy stock on smallholder farms in the tropics. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition, 4(2), 117-122. Crossref |
||||
| Lawal-Adebowale, O. A. (2012). Dynamics of ruminant livestock management in the context of the Nigerian agricultural system. Livestock Production, 4, 61-79. Crossref |
||||
| Mayaka, T. B., Tchoumboue, J., Manjeli, Y., & Teguia, A. (1996). Estimation of live body weight in West African Dwarf goats from heart girth measurement. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 28(1), 126-128. Crossref |
||||
| McCullough, M E. (1978). New trends in ensiling forages. In: Ruminant nutrition: Selected articles from the World Animal Review. FAO Animal Production and Health Paper 12. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), Rome, Italy. Pp. 24-29. | ||||
| Mottet, A., & Tempio, G. (2017). Global poultry production: current state and future outlook and challenges. World's Poultry Science Journal, 73(2), 245-256. Crossref |
||||
| Nair, M. R., Sejian, V., Silpa, M. V., Fonsêca, V. F. C., de Melo Costa, C. C., Devaraj, C., Krishnan, G., Bagath, M., Nameer, P.O., & Bhatta, R. (2021). Goat as the ideal climate-resilient animal model in tropical environment: revisiting advantages over other livestock species. International Journal of Biometeorology, 65(12), 2229-2240. Crossref |
||||
| Rani, V. U. (2010). Efficient management of feed resources using data mining techniques (Doctoral dissertation, Christ University). | ||||
| Resource Inventory and Management (RIM) (1992). Nigerian Livestock resources. Four volume report to the Federal Government of Nigeria. Submitted by Resource Inventory Management Limited. 1. Executive Summary and Atlas. 2. National synthesis. 3. State Reports. 4. Urban Reports and commercially managed livestock survey report. | ||||
| Riva, J., Rizzi, R., Marelli, S., & Cavalchini, L. G. (2004). Body measurements in Bergamasca sheep. Small Ruminant Research, 55(1-3), 221-227. Crossref |
||||
| Salako, A. E., & Ngere, L. O. (2002). Application of multifactorial discriminate analysis in the morphometric structural differentiation of West African Dwarf (WAD) and Yankassa sheep in the South West. Nigerian Journal of Animal production, 29(2), 163-167. Crossref |
||||
| Salam, N. A. (2009). The effect of forage energy level on production and reproduction performance of Kosta female goats. Pakistani. Journal of Nutrition, 8(3), 251-255. Crossref |
||||
| Searle, T. W., Graham, N. M., & Donnelly, J. B. (1989a). Change of skeletal dimensions during growth in sheep: the effect of nutrition. The Journal of Agricultural Science, 112(3), 321-327. Crossref |
||||
| Searle, T. W., Graham, N. M., Donnelly, J. B., & Margan, D. E. (1989b). Breed and sex differences in skeletal dimensions of sheep in the first year of life. The Journal of Agricultural Science, 113(3), 349-354. Crossref |
||||
| Semakula, J., Mutetikka, D., Kugonza, R. D., & Mpairwe, D. (2010). Variability in body morphometric measurements and their application in predicting live body weight of Mubende and Small East African goat breeds in Uganda. Middle East Journal of Scientific Research, 5(2), 98-105. Crossref |
||||
| Sowande, O. S., & Sobola, O. S. (2007). Body measurements of west African dwarf sheep as parameters for estimation of live weight. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 40(6), 433-439. | ||||
| Thiruvenkadan A. K. (2005). Determination of best fitted regression model for estimation of body weight in Kanni Adu kids under farmer's management system. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 17(7), 103-107. | ||||
| Thornton, P. K., Van de Steeg, J., Notenbaert, A., & Herrero, M. (2009). The impacts of climate change on livestock and livestock systems in developing countries: A review of what we know and what we need to know. Agricultural System, 101(3), 113-127. Crossref |
||||
| Wheeler, J. L., & Corbett, J. L. (1989). Criteria for breeding forages of improved feeding value: results of a Delphi survey. Grass and Forage Science, 44(1), 77-83. Crossref |
||||
| Younas, U., Abdullah, M., Bhatti, J. A., Pasha, T. N., Ahmad, N., Nasir, M., & Hussain, A. (2013). Inter-relationship of body weight with linear body measurements in Hissardale sheep at different stages of life. The Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences, 23(1), 40-44. | ||||
Copyright © 2026 Integrity Research Journals. All rights reserved.