Water Intake and Organ Weights of Red Sokoto Goats Fed Different Forms of Neem Leaves, Supplemented with a Concentrate Diet

Abstract

The study evaluated the water intake and organ weights of red sokoto goats fed different forms of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves and concentrate diet. The experiment was carried out at the smal ruminant unit Teaching and Research Farm, Federal University of Kashere. Sixteen red sokoto goats (bucks) aged between 7 to 9 months with a weight range of 6.8 kg to 7.3 kg were allotted into four (4) treatments of four goats each. The goats were housed individually in pens. The goats were fed fresh neem leaves, neem leaves hay, neem leaves meal and neem leaves silage at 300g/goat/day for treatments 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively; and concentrate diet at 125g/goat/day for a duration of sixty- three (63) days. Known volume of water was served and daily water intake was determined. The experimental design was a completely randomized design; data were analyzed using a one- way analysis of variance. The significant means were separated using Least Significant Difference contained in SAS 9.4 statistical packages, 2018 edition. The concentrate and the neem leaves were analyzed for their proximate composition using the method of AOAC (2000). The daily water intake values ranged from 286.87 – 392.95 ml and were significantly (P<0.05) different across the treatment means (significant between which Treatment 1 on one hand and Treatments 2, 3 and 4 on the other hand and both values increased with dry matter intake. All the organ weights values evaluated were not significantly(P>0.05) different across the treatment means. and which value, water intake/dry matter intake (2.70 – 3.87ml/g) values also showed significant (P<0.05 difference between The values for kidney ranged from 0.50 – 0.53 % while those for liver were 2.10 – 2.17 % It was concluded that the various forms of the neem leaves had no influence on the water intake of the goats, the different forms of neem leaves were not toxic to the goats afe he goats. Neem leaves can be used to feed goats during the long dry season. Further research should be carried out using other species of ruminants such as sheep and cattle.