EFFECTS OF BIODEGRADED WOOD ON RUMEN PERFORMANCE OF THE WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOAT

Abstract

Biodegraded wood was processed into fine particles and part of it pasteurized by heating. The pasteurized and unpasteurized samples were then subjected to numen degradation using the nylon bag technique, so as to investigate their effects, on dry matter degradability and rumen microflora, as well as the extent to which they would be utilized by rumen microorganisms. The effect on dry matter degradability was found to be on an interaction between the level of inclusion of the biodegraded wood samples in the diet, whether those wood was pasteurized or not. An antagonistic effect was observed between the microflora found in the unpasteurized wood and those in the rumen. The effective in- Sacco degradability of pasteurized and unpasteurized wood samples were73.55% and 29.95%, respectively. The study has thus shown that properly processed wood could be useful in ruminant nutrition.