ABSTRACT

Four lactating Red Sokoto does, with average body weight of 21kg and aged between 36 and 48 months were fed varying levels of Palm Kernel Cake (PKC) to determine the effects on yield and composition of milk. The control diet (A) contained 0%, while B, C and D contained 10, 20 and 30% PKC respectively in the concentrate diets. The diets were assigned to the animals in a completely randomized design. Each animal received each test diet for 4 weeks (28 days). Milk samples were collected from each doe during the last 3 days of the experimental period. Daily milk samples obtained were bulked and some proportions taken out for laboratory analysis to determine the Total Solids (TS), Butterfat (BF), Crude Protein (CP), Solid-Not-Fat (SNF) and Ash. Fresh milk samples were collected weekly and analyzed for lactose content. Proximate analysis was carried out on the diets. The mean proximate values (%) of the diets were: CP, 8.92, 8.94, 9.85 and 10.14; DM, 89.12%, 88.71%, 89.27% and 88.70%; Ash, 20.13, 12.75, 17.38 and 15.61; CE, 19.25, 21.35, 19.44 and 21.66; EE, 3.14%, 2.94%, 3.43% and 2.64%, and NFE, 37.69, 46.95, 39.45 and 39.37% for diets A, B, C and D, respectively. There were significant (P<0.05) differences in the proximate composition of the diets fed to the animals. The DM values were 89. 12%, 88.71%, 89.27% and 88.70% respectively for A, B, C, and D. The corresponding protein values were 8.92%, 8.94%, 9.85% and 10. 14%. The components of the milk did not show any statistical differences (P>0.05). Milk yield (MY) and Solids-not-fat (SNF), MY and Lactose, crude protein (CP) and butterfat (BF), and Fat-corrected milk (FCM) and total solids (TS) were non-significant and positively correlated (r = 0.28; P>0.05; r = 042; P>0.05; r = 0.21; P>0.05 and r = 0.15; P>0.05) respectively. MY and TS and MY and CP showed non-significance but negative correlations (r=-0.28; P>0.05; r = -0.32; P>0.05) respectively. There was significant but negative correlation between MY and BF and between CP and lactose, although higher significant level was observed between CP and lactose (r = -0.60; P <0.05; r = -0.70; P><0.01). On the other hand, milk energy and BF showed a very high significance and positive correlation (r = 0.99; P><0.01). It is noteworthy that increasing the levels of PKC in the diets will increase feed consumption, milk yield and affect the milk composition of RS goats. PKC inclusion in diets of the animals could furnish satisfactorily high protein availability both in quantity and quality. This will help to reduce associated nutritional diseases and mortality rate in humans. PKC is readily available in Nigeria and there is no competition for it between humans and animals. It is cheap in the market and could be used to realize high performance in protein yield by Red Sokoto goats.