The Effect of Feeding Gmelina (g. Arborea) Leaf Meal in Cowpea Shell Base Complete Diets on Nutrient Intake and Nutrient Digestibility in Red Sokoto Bucks

A study was conducted on the inclusion level of Gmelina arborea leaf meal (GLM) in cowpea shell base complete diet for red Sokoto buck. Four red Sokoto goats of average weight 13.4kg were used for the study to measure the feed intake, digestibility and nitrogen balance involving four dietary treatment T1, T2, T3 and T4 containing 0% 10% 20% and 30% levels of inclusions of Gmelina arborea respectively, in a 4X4 Latin square, with each period lasting 21days of 14 adjustment and 7days collection period. The result showed significant (p 0.05) different.T1 had the least. There was no significant (p>0.0%) difference in DM, OM CP and CF digestibility, however, numerically there was a reduction with increase in the level of GLM inclusion in the complete diets across treatment. Nitrogen balance result showed a significant (p<0.05) difference across the dietary treatments. T3 had significantly (p<0.05) higher N intake (118.28g/day) whereas T1 T2 and T4 were statistically similar and lower. Fecal N excreted showed significant (p<0.05) difference between treatments. Higher fecal N was recorded in animals fed on T3, while T2 and T4 had similar fecal N output and the least was observed in T1. Animals fed T3 diet had significantly (p<0.05) higher N retained and N observed, followed by T1, T2 and the least was in animals fed T4 diet. N retained as percent of intake showed T1 to be significantly (p<0.05) higher than T2, T3 and T4, which were lower (p<0.05) and similar. From the result of this study, G. arborea can be included at 20% in cowpea shell base complete diets for goats. Keywords : Buck, Cowpea shell, Gmelina arborea, red Sokoto