Determination of Browse Intake and Nutrient Digestibility of Grazing West African Dwarf (WAD) Goats Fed Varying Levels of Gmelina arborea Leaves as Supplements in Delta State Nigeria

The Research was carried out to assess the browse intake and nutrient digestibility of grazing West African Dwarf (WAD) goats fed varying levels of Gmelina arborea leaves as supplement. Which produces appreciable amount of forage even at the peak of the dry season in the tropics, thereby ensuring all year round supply of follage and fodder. Thirty growing West Africa Dwarf (WAD) goats were used to dertermine the level of browse intake and nutrient diggestibility by goats fed verying levels Gmelina arborea leaves as supplement. The goats were randomly divided into five groups of six animal per group. Goats in Treatment A were fed commercial growers mash, at 0.50 kg, Treatment B were fed 0.25 kg of Gmelina arborea leaves, Treatment C were fed 0.50 kg of Gmelina arborea leaves, Treatment D 0.75 kg and Treatment E 1.00 kg of Gmelina arborea leaves. Data were collected for thirteen weeks on browse intake and nutrient digestibility. Chemical analysis showed significantly (p<0.05) higher crude protein and lower crude fibre content in Gmelina arborea leaves than both grass Pennisetum purpurem and growers mash. The values observed for growers mash for Nitrogen free extract and ether extract were higher than those observed in Gmelina arborea leaves and elephant grass. Significant differences (p<0.05)existed for values recorded by the goats fed the different experimental diets. Goats fed Diet E had the highest (p<0.05) browse intake than Goat fed Diet D and C. Goat fed Diet B recorded the least significant (p<0.05) quantity of browse intake. Dry matter digestibility values as well as the crude protein difestibility were appreciably high for all animal fed the experimental diets. The goats fed diet E had the highest crude fibre digestibility followed by goats fed diest A and that of D, B and C respectively. Therefore, the study suggested 0.5 kg inclusion of Gmelina arborea leaves in the diet of grazing WAD goats as the optimum level for better performance.