THE FEEDING VALUE OF CURED PARKIA-FILICOIDEA WELW - LEAVES WITH CASSAVA PEELS TO THE GOAT

The influence of supplementary inclusion of Parkia filicoidea Welw. hay in a cassva-peel diet for goats was evaluated by a digestibility study. Eighteen Sokoto red goats, 6.0-7.5 kg, were involved There were six diets comprising unsupplemented cassava peels; 25, 50 and 75% replacements with Parkia hay; whole Parkia hay; and the control. The control diet was of 60% Andropogon gayanus and 40% yellow maize and soybean meal mixed in a 1.5:1 ratio. Dry matter (DM) intake (g/head per day) was better (P < 0.05) with whole Parkia hay (153 +/- 34.5) than with the cassava peels (137 +/- 12.9). Nevertheless, DM intakes were far better (> 200 g/head per day) on the supplemented diets. Acceptabilities were enhanced at (cassava peel/Parkia hay) 25/75 and 50/50 mixtures. DM digestibilities were higher on unsupplemented cassava peels, 25 and 50% replacements than with Parkia hay. Nutrient digestibilities were higher (P < 0.05) with the 50% replacement diet, except for crude fibre and total ash. The availability of the cassava peel and Parkia hay at little or no cost and the digestibility of the 50/50 combination as against that of the conventional (control) diet would make the 50/50 combination of the plant products an acceptable dry-season feed and a suitably cheap feed in subsistence goat-production.