ISSN 2348-313X (Print) International Journal of Life Sciences Research ISSN 2348-3148 (online) Vol. 8, Issue 1, pp: (52-56), Month: January - March 2020, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
EFFECTS OF VARYING LEVELS OF GMELINA ARBOREA BARK SUPPLEMENTED WITH AFZELIA AFRICANA LEAVES ON CARCASS CHARCTERISTIC OF GOATS G. J. BANDAWA1, E. Y. WABA2, A. A. ALLAHOKI3 1, 2, 3
Department of Animal Health and Production, Federal Polytechnic Bali, P.M.B.05 Bali,Taraba State, Nigeria
Abstract: The study was conducted to determine the effects of varying levels of Gmelina arborea bark supplementation with Afzelia Africana leaves on carcass characteristic of goats. Twenty five (25) bucks with body weight of 18.25-19.00 kg, were used for the study. The bucks were weighed and divided into five (5) groups. Each group of five (5) bucks were randomly assigned to one of the 5 treatments in a completely randomized design (CRD). Fresh Afzelia Africana leaves was fed as basal diet. The basal diet was fed ad libitum, while Gmelina bark was fed as supplement at the levels of 0, 100, 150,200 and 250 g/head/day for T1 (control), T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively. Clean drinking water and mineral salt lick were provided ad libitum throughout the experimental period. Data were collected on carcass characteristic, offals and organs weight. Significantly (P<0.05) different were observed among treatments groups on carcass measurement. The result of the offals and organ weights also differ significantly (P<0.05) between treatments except head, skin and omasum which did not differ significantly (P>0.05) among the treatments. Treatment 3, 4 and 5 recorded the highest fasting weight, slaughter weight, dresses weight, weight of neck and hind limb while T1, T2 T3 recorded the highest dressing percentage. T4 and T5 recorded the highest loin and fore limb weight while T1 and T2 recorded the lowest. Treatments T4 and T5 recorded the highest abdominal fat while T3, T4 and T5 recorded the highest weight of liver, heart and spleen. Treatment (3) recorded the lowest weight of abomasum. Keywords: Buck, Gmelina bark, carcass, Offals and Organs.
1. INTRODUCTION It is obvious that dressing percentage as important as it is in evaluation of meat yield of goat and other farm animals is influenced by such factors as breed, sex of animal, nutrition and other management factors Dressing percentage is both a yield and value-determining factor and is therefore an important yardstick in assessing performance of meat producing animals (Yusuf et al., 2014) hence an indication of how much meat a carcass will yield. This implies that it is a measurement of the weight of the carcass compared to the live weight of the animal (Dressing percentage (DP) = (hot carcass weight/live weight) x 100). Dressing percentage values on the empty body weight basis are higher than that of slaughter weight basis. Literature reports indicates that dressing percentage in goats varies between 38 and 56% by breed, sex, age, weight and conformation (Anjaneyulu and Joshi, 1995; El Hag and El Shargi, 1996; Dhanda et al., 1999; Getahun, 2001). According to Devendera and Burns (1983), dressing percentage is affected by plane of nutrition and other factors such as breed, age and sex. Pralomokarn et al. (1995) also indicated that dressing percentage increased as feed intake increased. Nutrition is predominant, because changes in goat diets may improve both the quantity and quality of the goat meat as a final product (Geay et al., 2001).
Page | 52 Research Publish Journals