title: Performance of West African Dwarf goats fed dehydrated poultry manure as a dry season supplement.
abstract: The performance of West African Dwarf goats fed dehydrated poultry manure when grazing maturing pastures was studied during 2 dry season months on the Accra Plains of Ghana. Twenty-eight goats (4 bucks and 24 does) were randomly selected and divided into 4 groups of one buck and 6 does each. Animals had access to pasture and, in addition, each group was randomly assigned to one of 4 supplementary dietary treatments: (1) 100% straw; (2) 60% straw + 40% molasses; (3) 50% straw + 40% molasses + 10% dehydrated poultry manure; (4) 40% straw + 40% molasses + 20% dehydrated poultry manure. Weight gains and efficiency of feed utilisation were significantly affected by diet type (P < 0.01). The goats fed Diets 3 and 4 gained more (P < 0.01) and utilised their diets more efficiently (P < 0.01) than goats fed Diets 1 and 2. Goats fed Diet 2 performed better than those fed Diet 1 in both traits. Dehydrated poultry manure (incorporated with molasses) supplementation improved the overall performance of goats grazing low quality natural pastures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ghana, Legan, Ghana.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Torto
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Rhule
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D006041:Goats / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008372:Manure; D011200:Poultry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D008372:Manure