Sphenostylis stenocarpa (African Yam Bean) based diet improves physical condition and blood parameters of West African Dwarf breeding does

Abstract

Underutilized legumes could provide nutrition to indigenous goats vulnerable to inadequate nutrition during the breeding season in Africa. The study evaluated dry matter intake, average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion efficiency (FCE), body condition score (BCS), hematological parameters, serum hormones and urea nitrogen production in West African Dwarf (WAD) does supplemented with soaked African yam bean (AYB)-based concentrates. Forty WAD does were randomly allotted in a complete randomized design into each of four diets AYB-0, 1, 2 and 3 with 0, 12.5, 25.0 and 37.5% AYB inclusion levels as replacement for soybean meal in the concentrate. Animals were fed Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus Jacq.) ad-libitum. Data on daily feed intake, body weight and BCS were collected weekly, while blood samples were obtained from the jugular vein for evaluation of haematological, serum hormones and urea nitrogen concentrations of does at initial and 56 days. Increasing the level of soaked-AYB in the diet from 12.5 to 37.5% reduced ADG, FCE and BCS; while cost/daily gain increased significantly (P<0.05). Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio decreased (P<0.05) indicating improved welfare of pregnant does in the first trimester. Findings support feeding of WAD does with soaked AYB-1 during the dry season to ameliorate feed and nutritional stress.