ABSRTACT

A study was conducted to determine the nutrient intake and digestibility of graded levels of maggot-upgraded poultry droppings (MUPD) in west African dwarf (WAD) rams. Three diets were formulated to contain MUPD at 0, 10, and 20% level, designated diets A, B and C respectively. Six WAD rams aged between 12 to 16 months with weight range of 7 to 9 Kg were randomly assigned to the three (3) diets in a 3X3 Latin square design experiment. The rams were put separately in metabolism cages for easy collection of faeces and urine. The feeds and faeces samples were analyzed for proximate composition, while the urine samples were analyzed for nitrogen. The crude protein and ether extract were significantly (P<0.05) higher in diets B (14.12, 4.99) and C (14.30, 4.98) than diet A (13.18, 4.59), whilethe NFE was significantly (P>0.05) higher in diet A (58.75) than in diets B (55.30) and C (54.83). dry matter intake as percent body weight was significant (P<0.05) higher in the group fed diet C (6.04) than A (3.63) and B (4.3 1), while the group fed diet B was also significantly (P<0.05) higher than those on diet A. Nitrogen intake, absorbed nitrogen and nitrogen balance were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the group fed diet B (14.12, 7.61, 6.90) than those on diet A (13.01, 6.53, 5.81). Apparent nitrogen digestibility was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the groups fed diets B(63..90) and C(64.04) than those on diet A (50.19). the apparent digestibility coefficient (%) of crude protein and ether extract were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the diets B (54.12, 39.01) and C (55.37, 39.96) groups than the diet A (50.13, 34.12) group. Crude fibre was better (P<zo.05) digested by the diet B (43.67) group than the diet A (41.52) and diet C (42.18) groups. Nitrogen free extract had significantly (P<0.05) higher coefficient of digestion in group A (39.66) than B (33.65) and C (35.14) groups while animals in diet C had better (P<0.05) coefficient of digestion than B group. The results of this study indicated that WAD rams fed 20% dietary MUPD had higher apparent-N-digestibility and digestibility coefficient of crude protein than those fed the control diet (0%) MUPD. It is therefore recommended that the 20% level of MUPD can be incorporated in diets of WAD sheep as nitrogen source, for better utilization of nitrogen in the diets.