Abstract
Performance and blood profile of West African Dwarf goats placed on processed Icacina manni meals were investigated in an eight-week feeding trial. A total of 16 West African Dwarf goats aged 6-8 months were assigned to four dietary treatments. Animals on treatment one (T1) were placed on a diet with 0% inclusion level of Icacina manni meals, while those on treatment two-four (T2 – T4) had 20% of the same inclusion level of Icacina manni meals, respectively in their diets. Each treatment group had four goats. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design. Other ingredients used in equal parts in the 4 treatment groups were cassava peels, brewer dried grain, palm kernel cake, bone meal and salt. Data collected on the groups included: weekly weight gain, initial and last day blood from the animals, and daily feed intake. These were used to determine growth performance, and the blood profile of the animals. Result revealed that there were significant (p<0.05) differences on growth performance parameters measured such as daily weight gain, daily feed intake, cost/kg of feed and cost/kg weight gain. The highest value of daily weight gain (38.93g/day) was observed in goats fed toasted IMM while the lowest value was obtained in goats fed 0%IMM (control diets). Goats placed on toasted IMM had the best cost/kg weight gain value (N966.00). Significant differences (p<0.05) were observed on all blood profile parameters measured except for monocyte, eosinophils, basophils and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). It can be concluded that WAD goats fed toasted IMM based diet yielded better results in their growth performance with no deleterious effect on their blood profile.