Selection and evaluation of feedstuffs for urban and peri-urban small ruminant production systems in Ghana : a systems approach

dc.contributor.authorBaah, John
dc.date.accessioned2007-11-13
dc.date.available2007-11-13
dc.date.issued1994
dc.descriptionThe table of contents for this item can be shared with the requester. The requester may then choose one chapter, up to 10% of the item, as per the Fair Dealing provision of the Canadian Copyright Acten
dc.description.abstractThe objective of this research was to develop a feed package for small ruminants in the urban centres of Ghana. A survey of 120 households indicated that cassava peels were the most abundant feedstuff. However, the level of nitrogen (1.02%) was inadequate to support optimum rumen flnction. The degradation of cassava peels and leaves of ficus, terminalia and chaya in the rumen was determined using the in sacco technique (Experiment 1). The respective rates of degradation of nitrogen fractions were 0.087, 0.052 and 0.133% h-1 (P<0.05). The ratios of nitrogen released from terminalia, ficus and chaya leaves to organic matter fermented from cassava peels during the first 12 h of incubation were; 1:60, 1:30 and 1:15.5, respectively. In Experiment 2, six wethers fitted with permanent rumen cannulae were fed cassava peels supplemented with either 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, or 250 g d-1 of ficus leaves. Supplementation increased (P<0.05) the potentially degradable fraction (55.9 to 68.2%) of dry matter (DM) in cassava peels. The corresponding value for ficus was 72.5 to 78.7%. In Experiment three, 48 individually housed wethers and ewe lambs, were fed cassava peels ad libitum and randomly allocated to one of six dietary supplements used in Experiment 2. Daily DM intake increased (P<0.05) from 44.0 g kg-1 LW0.75 (no supplement) to 81.2 g kg-1 LW0.75 (250 g d-1 of ficus leaves). Supplementation depressed apparent DM digestibility coefficients (78.1 to 73.9%, P<0.05). Animals which received 250 g d-1 of ficus leaves had the fastest growth rate (53.6 g d-1, P<0.05). Scanning electron microscopy was combined with electron dispersive x-ray analysis (EDXA) in Experiment 4 to study rumen microbial digestion of cassava peels and ficus leaves. The outer layer of cassava peels and epidermis of ficus leaves, except damaged regions were, resistant to microbial colonization and digestion. In digestible tissues, 4 h was close to initiation of digestion. EDXA of ficus leaf surfaces indicated that the entire epidermis was covered with silica. It was concluded from the series of studies that a successfiul small ruminant feeding system could be based on feeding cassava peels adlibitum and 200-250 g d-1 of ficus leaves. [Scientific formulae used in this abstract could not be reproduced.]en
dc.description.degreeDoctor of Philosophy
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10625/15010
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherUniversity of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CAen
dc.subjectANIMAL PRODUCTIONen
dc.subjectRUMINANTSen
dc.subjectANIMAL NUTRITIONen
dc.subjectGHANAen
dc.subjectFEEDen
dc.subjectRURAL AREASen
dc.subjectGOATSen
dc.subjectSHEEPen
dc.subjectHOUSEHOLD SURVEYSen
dc.subjectCROPSen
dc.subjectEVALUATIONen
dc.titleSelection and evaluation of feedstuffs for urban and peri-urban small ruminant production systems in Ghana : a systems approachen
dc.typeThesisen
idrc.docdelivLink sent to requester : https://open.library.ubc.ca/media/stream/pdf/831/1.0088833/1en
idrc.dspace.accessLimited Accessen
idrc.rims.adhocgroupIDRC SUPPORTEDen

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