COMPARATIVE PROXIMATE ANALYSIS OF SOME CONVENTIONAL AND UNCONVENTIONAL ENERGY FEED INGREDIENTS IN JOS TOWN, NIGERIA

A research was conducted in 2015 on nutrient composition of conventional and unconventional energy sources obtained in Jos town. The conventional energy sources sampled were Maize, Sorghum, Millet, Wheat, Maize Offal, Millet Bran while the unconventional energy sources were Fonio Digitaria (Acha), Tiger nut, Finger Millet, Irish Potato, Sweet Potato, Sweet Potato Peels, Cassava, Plectranthus esculentus(Rizga), Cocoyam and Yam Peels. Samples were sun dried and analyzed for proximate nutrients at the Small Animal Chemical Laboratory of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria. Data collected were analysed using simple percentages. The result revealed that moisture content (MC) of the conventional sources range from 6.58 – 11.58%. While that of the unconventional had 6.83-73.19%, which indicated that the unconventional sources had higher moisture content. Dry matter (DM) for the conventional sources range from 26.81 – 93.70% while that of the unconventional had 26.81-93.70%, signifying that they ranked same in terms of DM value. Crude protein (CP) for the conventional sources had 7.61 – 14.29%, that of the unconventional energy feed ingredients had 4.10 – 14.23% which indicated that they had same CP range. Crude fibre (CF) for the conventional sources range 2.10 – 34.11% that of the unconventional sources had 0.34-3.11%, which shows a high CF for the conventional sources. Ether extracts (EE) for conventional sources range 1.70 – 4.11%, the unconventional had 0.3-8.11% which indicated high EE for the unconventional sources. Ash value ranged 1.36 – 10.49% for conventional sources; the unconventional had 1.20 – 4.60%. Nitrogen Free Extracts (NFE) for the conventional sources range 36.83 – 78.05%, unconventional, sources had NFE ranged 18.70 – 83.83%. The study revealed that the unconventional energy feed ingredients, having similar dry matter (DM), to the conventional energy sources, higher EE, and NFE than the conventional energy sources could be incorporated into livestock feeds to assess their biological value