Nutritional Potential of Acacia (Acacia Nilotica (L.) Del.) Pods for Growing Red Sokoto Goats

An experiment to evaluate the potentials of Acacia nilotica pods as replacement for cotton seed cake (CSC) on nutrients digestibility, haematological parameters and growth performance of Red Sokoto goats was conducted. The aim was to explore the possibility of reducing the high cost of feeding goats by using alternative source of protein instead of the highly demanded and costly conventional sources of protein like CSC. Twenty five Red Sokoto goats (bucks) having average age of 10 months, and average weight of 10.3 ± 0.1kg were blocked to balance for weight in a Completely Randomized Block Design (CRBD) experiment, and assigned to 5 treatments having 5 animals per treatment. They were fed graded levels of sun-dried Acacia pods as replacement for CSC, and dried sweet potato forage as basal diet. The proximate analysis of the diets compounded with graded levels of sun-dried Acacia pods with other feed ingredients showed that zero inclusion of Acacia pods (control), had the highest percentage of crude protein (CP) 17.56%. The percentages of CP decreased in the diets as the level of Acacia pods inclusion increased. The control diet also had the highest percentage of dry matter (DM) 94.41%, while the least value of DM was recorded in 100% Acacia pods level (93.21%). The levels of metabolizable energy (ME) in the diets ranged from 2322 to 2549 ME (Kcal/kg). While the crude fibre (CF) in the diets ranged from 10.72 to 14.26%. There were no significant (P>0.05) differences in daily feed intake (DFI) and final body weight (FBW) in Red Sokoto goats fed graded levels of sun-dried Acacia pods. There were significant (P<0.05) differences in weight gain (WG), daily weight gain (DWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and cost per weight gain (CPWG) across the treatments. Goats fed 25% level of sun- dried Acacia pods performed better than the other animals in the other treatments in terms of WG, DWG, FBW and had the cheapest cost per weight gain in Naira (N/kg). There were significant (P<0.05) differences in the digestibility of most of the feed nutrients and in water intake (WI) in the treatments. Also there were significant (P<0.05) differences in all the blood parameters (Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Haemaglobin (Hb), Total Plasma Protein (TPP), Plasma Urea Nitrogen (PUN), and Creatinine (Cr)) measured in this experiment. It was therefore, concluded that 25% of sun-dried Acacia pods can be used to replace CSC in the diets of Red Sokoto goats without having any adverse effect on nutrients digestibility, blood parameters and their performance. Acacia pods can also be used to significantly reduce the high cost expended in feeding goats with conventional sources of protein and to increase availability of animal protein, as well as increase the profit margin of goat farmers.