CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Proximate analysis helps in
determination of the major constituents of feed and it is used to assess
if a feed is within its normal compositional parameters or somehow
being adulterated (Jegede A.V 2015)
Goat as Small ruminants animal with four
compartment stomach,(Rumen, Reticulum, Omasum and Abomasum) suffer from
scarcity in feed supply and pasture quality in the humid region of West
Africa, About 98 percent of the smallholder ruminants farmers mainly
depend on naturally available forage for animal feeding which is
abundant during the wet season (Pereraet al., 2007). However,
the quantity and quality of these forages decline during the dry season
which leads the smallholder farmers to utilize agricultural crop
residues to keep the animals alive. During the dry season when the
natural vegetation is of poor nutritive value (Akinfala and Tewe,2002;
Aye, 2007). Browse plants with high nutritive values have been
successfully fed to small ruminants in alley faming systems (Ngwa and
Tawah, 2002; Fasae and Alokan, 2006). Ruminantanimal production is a
very important componentof agricultural sector in Nigeria economy. The
nation’s meat supply is almost exclusively derivedfromruminant
livestock. The major constraint ofincreasingsmall ruminant productivity
is the Improvementof ruminant animal nutrition and feed Supply(Akangbe
and Adeleye, 2002).The provision of good quality forage all year round
is a major problem of Small ruminant livestock production in the
tropics. It is a known fact that, the availability of good quality green
feedtoruminant animal is seasonal in the dry tropics. Thisexplains why
most ruminant animals under extensive Systemof rearing have low
productivity and poor body condition at the peak of the dry season
(Rosiji and Iposu, 2002).
In an attempt to alleviate ruminant feed
supply problems and looking for potential feed resources, particularly
those which survive during the dry season call for the use of
conventional feedstuffs for the production of ruminant animals. Research
had shown that, these conventional sources may not be profitable due to
the escalating cost of production and competition between man and
livestock. In this regards, the necessity to search for cheaper and
locally available alternative feed materials among nutritionists that
can meet the nutritional requirements of ruminant animals arise. Such
feed materials should have the advantage of cost, availability as well
as possess very low human food preference to eliminate competition
between man and animals.
Multi-nutrient feed block are lick blocks containing urea,molasses, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients ( Hendrantoet al., 1989). Due to scarcity and cost of molasses it is replaced with pineapple pulp (Ananascomosus) so that livestock farmers in Nigeria will have easy access to it.
These pulps are classified as most
versatile feeds that can make important addition to the amount of
locally produced feeds for sheep. As feed, they are easily mixed with
other feed ingredients, exert mildly laxative effect and help to
alleviate the environmental impact of fruits processing. Orange and
pineapple pulps are high in energy and fiber but low in protein content
with imbalance between calcium and phosphorus (Rogerioet al., 2007; Fung et al.,
2010). Sheep have a unique ability to convert human consumption into
useful end products that are utilized for productivity and growth. This
is possible because of microbial fermentation taking place in the
Rumen(Aka et al., 2011).
The current practice among animal
scientist of feeding unconventional feedstuffs (agro-industrial
by-products) as alternative feedstuffs for ruminant animal productionin
Nigeria holds inestimable potential for the development of the
sub-sector. The problem lies with harnessing, processing and utilization
of these by-products (Ahamefuleet al., 2002). Pineapple pulp
is an example of such agro-industrial by-product that can be utilized to
a good advantage for ruminant animal nutrition in Nigeria. Pineapple
pulp that is usually discarded as waste after processing, it is a rich
source of energy but low in protein (Fadelet al., 2000), yet to
be probably harnessed for ruminant animal production due to its
bulkiness and water content. It is hoped that, the use of this pineapple
pulp or in combination with forage could result in an edible material
that can be used to feed small ruminant animals.
Several solutions have been suggested by
researchers to improve the nutritional quality and palatability of low
quality roughages. In this regards, combined feeding of low quality
roughages with UMMB is considered to be one of the easiest and effective
practices (Pereraet al., 2007; Perera and Jayasuriya, 2008).
Hard solid blocks of UMMB provide readily available sources of energy
and protein in the forms of molasses and urea together with fiber and
minerals (Saddul and Boodoo, 2001). Urea-molasses mineral block (UMMB)
licks can improve the utilization of low quality roughages because it
satisfies the requirements of the rumen microorganisms and creates a
better environment for the fermentation of fibrous material which
eventually increases the production of microbial protein and volatile
fatty acids (Wongnen, 2007). Urea, after hydrolyzing into ammonia in the
rumen, provides a nitrogen source for the rumen micro-flora for their
microbial protein synthesis. Molasses is a major source of readily
fermentable energy, which assists the growth of rumen microorganisms. In
addition, it is considered to be a good carrier for urea and a source
of micro minerals (Pereraet al., 2007; Wongnen, 2007). It has been reported byPereraet al.
(2007) that the incorporation of UMMB under field conditions has
tremendously improved the animal performance which may be associated
with the“ supplementary” and “catalytic” effects of UMMB promoting an
optimal ammonia level for efficient microbial activity in the rumen
(Kunju, 1986).Several researchers have previously reported the use of
UMMB licks for supplementing the crop residue-based diets of large and
small ruminants (Leng, 1983; Sansoucy, 1995), but only very few studies
have been conducted on the use of UMMB with good quality forage-based
diets. Results of one such study by Weerasingheet al. (2010) to
evaluate the effects of supplementation of nitrogen through UMMB on the
performance of dairy cows fed good quality forage based diets,
highlighted that UMMB supplementation significantly increased milk yield
and yields of milk fat, protein, and solids-non-fat (SNF). Further,
UMMB supplemented animals in that study had a significantly higher body
weight compared with those fed control diet and the authors suggested
that the improvements of production and performance could be due to
improved digestibility of UMMB supplemented diet.
With this, multi-nutrient block have
been found to be highly beneficial and its use as been shown to be
practical and effective in overcoming nutritional challenges in sheep,
goats and dairy cattle industry (Makkar,2007).
1.2 Justification
Feed block technology, as an option to
be promoted among sheep, goat, and cattle owners in Nigeria. In order to
improve animal performance and reduce cost of feeding animal and
conserved utilization of agro-industrial by-products in the formulation
of suitable feed that consist of different nutrient composition which
will improve the growth performance of any animal that consumes it
(Shided and Salman,1996)
These studies therefore, will broadening
the scope to determine different macro-nutrients present in the feed
block. To know the exact substance classes that will contribute to the
energy content of the animal, improved productivity and also to reduce
the hazardous effect in production. Multi-nutrient feed block as a
technology is also to meet the nutritional requirement of livestock
animals in Nigeria.
1.2.1 Broad objective
The objective of this project is to
determine proximate and fiber analysis of multi-nutrient feed block made
with pineapple pulp and different browse plants.
1.2.2 Specific objectives
- To analyze proximate content in the multi-nutrient block and browse plants.
- To determine the fiber fraction present in the multi-nutrient block and browse plants.