The effect of supplements of crop residues based diets on the performance of steers grazed on natural pasture during the dry season

Abstract

Twenty-four White Fulani steers, 20-26 months old, mean initial live weight of 270.6 ± 0.5kg, were divided into three treatment groups to investigate the effects of crop residues supplementation on performance when grazed on natural pasture during the dry season in the central zone of Delta State, Nigeria. The treatments were (1) forage + groundnut shell (GNS) supplement, (2) forage + cassava peels (CaP) supplement and (3) grazing on forage only. All animals were grazed on natural pasture during the five months dry season period (November 1994 – March 1995). Body weight change, body condition scores (BCS), nutrient digestibility coefficient and economic benefits were the parameters investigated. Body weight changes were 6.3 ± 1.5, 8.4 ± 0.8 and 3.6 ± 1.2kg, for steers on treatments 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Live weight gain was better (P<0.05) in treatments 1 and 2. However, live weight gain was much better (P<0.05) in CaP steers than GNS steers. Nutrient digestibility coefficients by steers on treatments 1, 2 and 3 followed the pattern observed in live weight gain. Supplemented steers had higher (P<0.05) digestibility coefficients than steers that grazed forage only. Digestibility values between treatments 1 and 2 were also different (P<0.05) from each other. The profit margin of supplemented steers was above those steers that grazed only. Socio-economically, it was advantageous to supplement steers with crop residues when grazing on natural pasture in the dry season. Results of this trial demonstrated that steers can maintain their live weight by grazing on natural pasture. However, supplementation with crop residue diets improved live weight gain, BCS and apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients during the dry season. Finally, the ability of the steers on grazing only to maintain their live weight during the period demonstrated the nutritional significance of available natural pasture in the central zone of Delta State, Nigeria during the dry season.

Keywords:

• STEERS
• BODY CONDITION SCORE
• PASTURE
• CROP RESIDUES
• DRY SEASON
• DELTA
• NIGERIA