ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance of six (6) growing bull calves consisting of two (2) indigenous N'damax N'dama purebred, two(2) of N'dama x Gudali and two (2) of N'dama x white Fulani with regards to body trait and haemotology, using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) with model CRD. The calves were allowed to run with their dams and forage on natural pastures with silage supplementation for ninety days (90days). Data on body weight (BW), Heart girth (HG), Head Circumference (HC), Height at withers (HW), Stomach Circumference (SC), Head Length (HL) and Body Length (BL) were collected bi-weekly for 12 weeks to assess the performance of calves of these breeds. The data collected on haematology parameter such as Haemoglobin (Hb), Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Red blood cell (RBC), White blood cell (WBC), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) were collected and analyzed. The result of the study showed that the BL, HL, HW, HC and SC had no significant differences (P>O.05) across the genotypes. While the HG followed the same trend as BW. The body weight of N'dama x N'dama was (254.27kg), followed by N'dama x Gudali which was(2 16.59kg) and then N' dama x White Fulani (195. 98kg).The result of the haemoglobin (Hb) showed that there was no significant difference (P>O.05) between N'dama x N'dama (12.80g/dl) and White Fulani (12.98g/dl) but they were significantly higher than N'dama x Gudali (lO.79g/dl). However, MCHC was highest in N'dama x White Fulani genotype, followed by N'dama x N'dama then N'dama x Gudali. PCV, RBC, WBC, 'MCV, MCH showed no significant difference across the genotypes. It was therefore concluded that N'dama x N'dama genotype which had the highest body weight of the three genotype appeared better adapted to the humid tropical environment, while the N'dama x White Fulani genotype which had the highest values of HB and MCHC showed ability to withstand heat stress and possibly anemic challenges in the production environment.