EFFECT OF CLIMATIC SEASON ON THE REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF RED SOKOTO GOATS FED GRADED LEVELS OF SUN-DRIED CASSAVA PEEL MEAL AS ENERGY SOURCE IN PREGNANCY

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of climatic season on the reproductive performance of Red Sokoto Goats fed graded levels of sun-dried cassava peel meal as an energy source in pregnancy. Treated cassava peel (sun-dried) was used as an energy source to replace maize offal at levels of 0 (Treatment 1) 18.5, (Treatment 2) 37.0, (Treatment 3) 55.0, (Treatment 4) and 74.0% (Treatment 5) in the ration of goats. A sixth ration (Treatment 6) comprised only cotton seed cake and common salt. Thirty (30) pregnant Red Sokoto goats aged between 1.5-2.0 years were allotted to six (6) treatments with a mean weight of 26.1-26.6kg in a randomized complete block design. Each of the six rations was fed to five Red Sokoto goats during pregnancy at the rate of 1.5% of the live weight daily before allowing the goats to graze on native pastures in a specific paddock. The result of the experiment showed that season had no significant (P<0.05) effect on birth weight (BTWT), litter weight (LWT) and litter size (LS) of the kids. However, weight loss due to kidding (WLDK) was significantly (P<0.05) higher during the Cold-Dry season (October-December). No mortality was reported in this study in terms of reproductive wastage like abortion and still birth. The study concluded that without adjusting for energy, Cassava peel meal can be used to replace maize offals in the diets of pregnant Red Sokoto goats up to 74% inclusion level during the Hot-dry season, late-wet season and cold-dry season without having any adverse effects on birth weight (BTWT), litter weight (LWT) and litter size (LS).