Evaluation of Moringa oleifera, Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala - based multinutrient blocks as feed supplements for sheep in South Western Nigeria

Moringa oleifera has not found much use as human food and feed for ruminants compared to other known fodder trees in South-Western Nigeria.Feed blocks were made using 30% Moringa oleifera, Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala leaf meals to supplement basal diets of guinea grasscassava peels mixture for small ruminants.The diets were fed to 32 West African Dwarf rams with average weight of 11.2+ 0.6 kg in a completely randomized design and body weight gain, linear body measurements, physiological parameters, nitrogen retention and haematological indices were measured.The basal diets and feed blocks contained 8.14g 100g -1 , 5.30g 100g -1 , 22.94g 100g -1 , 25.16g 100g -1 , and 25.98g 100g -1 crude protein and 32,31g 100g -1 , 21.01g 100g -1 , 6.81g 100g -1 , 8.62g 100g -1, and 15.23g 100g -1 crude fibre for guinea grass, cassava peels, moringa-based multinutrient blocks (MMNB), gliciridia-based multinutrient blocks (GMNB), and leucaena-based multinutrient blocks (LMNB) respectively.The dry matter intake was 38.4,40.6, 42.8 and 42.3 in control (Panicum + cassava peels), MMNB, GMNB, and LMNB, respectively indicating higher weight gains with supplemental feeding.Feed conversion ratio was 18.3, 11.6, 12.6 and 12.4 for control, MMNB, GMNB and LMNB, respectively.Body length, heart girth, height at withers, scrotal circumference and tail length gains were least in the control whereas GMNB had the highest body length and tail length gain.The nitrogen retention, of the animals on the supplemental MNBs were significantly(P<0.05)higher than the control group.White blood cell (WBC) and neutrophils values were 10.2, 8.3, 8.8 and 9.2 x 10 3 mm -1 and 27.5, 22.8, 23.7 and 22.8% for control, MMNB, GMNB, LMNB respectively.The values for other haematological parameters such as PCV, RBC, platelets, Hb, MCH, MCHC and MCV were significantly higher in the supplemental group than the control.Intake of multinutrient blocks do not pose any health hazard to the animals but enhanced better performance of sheep fed basal diets of Panicum maximumcassava peels.Moringa oleifera compares favourably with Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala as fodder tree for small ruminant holders in South Western Nigeria.