Incorporation of Dry Mangifera indica Kernel in the Concentrate Ration of Growing Lambs

Abstract

Twenty Southeast Dwarf yearling lambs of Nigeria were grouped according to their live weight (20.9 ± 1.7 kg) and offered one of the five concentrate rations as a supplement to the low quality dry season forage of mixed grass/ legume hays (mainly three part Pennisetum purpureum and one part Centrosema pubescens) for 56 days growth period, after which five of the lambs were relocated to metabolism cages for digestibility and nitrogen balance trials. The Mangifera indica kernel was substituted for maize offal in diets A, B, C, D and E at 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60%, respectively. The concentrate intakes and growth rates were 951, 961, 1017, 1225 and 1001, and 116, 125, 146, 162 and 116 g/day, respectively.