THE INFLUENCE OF GRADED LEVELS OF Rhizopus oligosporus-TREATED RICE HUSK ON THE MILK QUALITY AND MILK YIELD OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOATS
1Ogunbajo, S. A. & 2Belewu, M. A.
1Department of Animal Production, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State
2Department of Animal Production, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State
Email: khalifahshaq@gmail.com; 1Corresponding Author
ABSTRACT
Thirty two apparently healthy weaned West African Dwarf (WAD) does were fed diets containing graded levels of Rhizopus oligosporus-Treated Rice Husk (RoTRH) in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) for a period of ten weeks to evaluate the effects of the experimental diets on the milk quality and milk yield of the animals. The encouraging positive results suggest that RoTRH can serve as a very valuable alternative and cheap feed ingredient for feed production. It was concluded from this study that RoTRH is a valuable feedstuff for dairy nutrition as its inclusion in the diets of goats served as an effective means of reducing the level of dependence on and competition for conventional feedstuffs between man and livestock.
Keywords: Milk composition, milk yield, nutrient intake, Rhizopus oligosporus
