COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF GROWTH AND INGESTION BEHAVIQUR OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF SHEEP AND GOATS UNDER THREE FEEDING SYSTEMS

Abstract

A study was conducted with nine rams and nine buke sunder thereby feed management systems namely: tethering, zero grazing and tethering with supplementation, to compare body and growth performances and ingestion parameters of West African, Dwarf (WAD) sheep and goats. The sheep were aged between 7-8 months and, weighed between 11.5@- 12.50kg (mean, 11.83 +- 6.83k&, while the goats were aged 7-8 months and weighed between 7.00-7.50 kg (mean= 7.17k 0.0lkgb. Each feedEng1 management regime was randomly allotted three sheep and three goats. Sheep performed consistently better<0.05) in body weight gains, compared to goats at 0-4 weeks of study (0-12 months of a under all facing management. Zero grazing or tethering with supplements attained in beater animal responses, also at 0-4 weeks of study. Body weight gains improved more @<@A&) from 5 weeks of study. And above (or 12 months of animal age and above) under tethering fee* -- management in both sheep and goats, compared to zero grazing and tethering with supplementation. The pattern for thoracic girth was s I d an r to that of body weight at 0-4 weeks of study across dl feed management systems. Also, from 5-8 weeks, and from 9-12 weeks, the-weekly changes in thoracic && of 035Qn (or 05mmlday). and 0.94cm (br 1.34mml day) obtained in the teethe A sheep and ha * goats supplemented under tethering, respectively indicated that these feeding managements led to better (Pc0.05) performances of experimental animals, compared to zero grazing. Weekly changes in withers height followed the pattern body weight changes. Sheep performed (P<0&5) better in all the feeding management across €he study period, copied to goats* from 5 weeks onward, - - tethering management, followed by tethering with supplementation led to greater [P<0.05) height improvement, compared to zero grazing. Comparatively, sheep receiving supplement under tethering performed significantly (P<0.05) better in daily dry matter intake (40.9g\kgWZ5), rumination rate (80 chews min-I) and drinking duration (18 Sh-'1. Longer urinary eating time (min\dm\ KgW15) was spent in the goats under zero grazing (4.01 and in tethered goats receiving implementation (5.0). Meal exploration was longest (1 sec) in both sheep and goats (under tethering and shortest (0.5 sec.) under tethered animals receiving supplementation. Both sheep and goats exhibited high forage selectivity across d feeding mmagemenLXef~19aIr ate was highest (30%) among goats raised under the zero grazing management system No differences existed in daily time spent nominating, on free water intake and drinking frequency.