ABSTRACT

Three lactating West African Dwarf (WAD) goats with average body weight of 21 .3kg and aged 35 and 40 months were fed these test diets A. B. and C to determine the influence of Moringa oliefera seed meal MOSM on yield and composition of Milk of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats in a tropical environment. The control diet (A) contained 0% while diets B and C contained 3% and 6% Moringa oliefera seed meal (MOSM) respectively in concentrate diets. The diets were assigned to the animals in a 3x3 Latin Square Design (LSD). Each animal received each test diet for three weeks (21 days) for which the experiment lasted. The animals served as the rows while the three weeks of the experiments served as columns. Milk samples were collected everyday from each lactating doe. The milk samples for the first four days of each week were only weighed and recorded for yield, then for the remaining three days of each week the samples were divided into two parts for each doe, one part was sent for fresh lactose analysis and the other part was bulked and stored in a freezer at a temperature of about 440 C for each doe and on the third day, the bulked samples were sent to the laboratory for chemical analysis to determine the total solids (TS), butterfat (BF). crude protein (CP). solids-not-fat (SNF). and ash. Proximate analysis was carried out on the diets. The mean proximate value (%) of the diets were: CP 10.25%, 12.26% and 14.43%, DM; 91.47%, 90.82% and 91.72%, Ash: 8.52%, 9.19% and 11.85, CF; 7.69, 8.42 and 8.77, EE; 4.66, 5.12% and 0.67%, NFE 50.35%, 54.99% and 56.74% ME(MJ/kg DM); 1.46, 1.62 and 1.77 for diets A, B. and C respectively. Also for MOSM and BDG: CP 19.63% and 11.79%; DM 89.22% and 90.30%; Ash. 3.93 and 5.29: CF 2.91 and 8.33; EE 27.35% and 4.33%; NFE; 35.40% and 60.61% respectively. The components of milk did not show any statistical difference (P>0.05). Milk yield (MY) and total Solids (TS). MY and Butterfat (BF) and MY and Crude protein (CP) were non-significant but positively correlated (r 0.29; P>0.05; r = 0.49; P> 0.05; and r 0.51; P>0.05) respectively. These was significant and positive correlation between MY and fat-corrected Milk (FCM), MY and lactose, MY and Ash as well as between Total Solids (TS) and BF, although higher level of significance was observed between MY and FCM (r = 1.00; P<0.05; r = 0.75; P ><0.05;r = 0.76; P ><0.05; andi = 0.78; p•>< 0.05) respectively. A high significance level and positive correlation was observed between BF and milk energy (r = 0.97; P<0.05). CP and BF, TS and Lactose, were non-significant but positively correlated (r = 0.37; P>0.05; f 0.65; P > 0.05) respectively. TS and Solids-Not-Fat (SNF) were highly significant and positively correlated (r 0.99; P<0.05). Crude protein (CP) and Lactose showed non-significance but positively correlated (r= 0.48; P > 0.05). It is noteworthy that increasing the levels of MOSM in the diets increased the feed consumption. milk yield and also affected the milk composition of WAD goats. MOSM inclusion in diets of animals has the ability to provide high protein both in quantity and quality.