Fungus (Aspergillus niger) treated Ackee apple seed meal: assay of nutritive value, voluntary intake and digestibility in pregnant goat
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2017
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Agriculture, Nasarawa State University
Abstract
This study was conducted to assess the nutritive value of Aspergillus niger treated Ackee apple seed
meal (AASM) using sixteen (16) pregnant goats in a completely randomized design model. The goats
were randomly grouped into four, with each group assigned different experimental diets. The
experimental diets consisted of A (control) without the inclusion of fungus treated AASM while other
diets had the inclusion of fungus treated AASM to replace groundnut cake (GNC) at 2.5%, 5.0% and
7.5% representing B, C and D respectively. Feed intake was monitored along with digestibility
evaluation of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), ether extract (EE) and ash. The
results showed that fungus treated diets increased the proximate value of all the nutrients considered
except CF. Crude protein, crude fat and ash contents increased respectively by 2.73, 2.55 and 0.41%.
The animals placed on diet B had the highest (989.57g/day) DM intake, CF (198.70g/day) and EE
(107.79g/day). Significantly higher (P<0.05) digestible DM, CF and EE was also observed for diet B.
Apart from the digestibility coefficient for CP where diet B had the highest value (77.48%), diet D was
relatively higher (83.11%) in DM intake, CF (76.53%) and EE (91.37%). It is therefore concluded
that pregnant West African dwarf goats may effectively tolerate up to 7.5% inclusion of A. niger
treated AASM without any ill-health
Description
Keywords
Anti-nutrition, Crude protein, Detoxification, Dwarf goat