Effects of Processing Methods on Nutrient Intake, Digestibility, and Nitrogen Utilisation in Red Sokoto Bucks fed Piliostigma reticulatum Pods

The nutrient intake, digestibility and nitrogen utilization of Red Sokoto bucks fed diets containing different processed forms of Piliostigma reticulatum pods were assessed in an experiment. A completely randomized design was used to assign fifteen bucks at random to three different diets. Treatment one served as control; therefore was fed without processing, while in treatment two, the P. reticulatum pods were soaked in water for twenty-four hours and in treatment three, the pods were roasted under controlled time and temperature. The experiment lasted for 63 days. The findings showed that there were significant (p<0.05) differences in nutrient intake. Dry matter intake was significantly (p<0.05) different among the treatment diets and treatment three, where the Red Sokoto bucks were fed with roasted pods, recorded the highest dry matter intake (903.0 g), outperforming both the raw (T1) and soaked (T2) forms, which were 873.2 and 873.2 g each. Neutral Detergent Fiber intake (NDFI) was similar (p>0.05) among the treatment diets. T3 had the highest numerical value (195.9 g) while the lowest were obtained in T1 (Control) and T2 (Soaked) with 184.2 and 170.1 g, respectively. Acid detergent fiber intake was significantly (p<0.05) different across the diets and the highest value was recorded in animals fed with (T3), which had 101.56 g, and the least was obtained in T1 (81.88g) and T2 (75.27 g). Crude Protein Intake (CPI) was similar (p>0.05) across the diets, with the highest numerical value recorded in T2 (819.0 g) and the lowest value recorded in T3 (816.4 g) and T1 (664.1 g). However, ash intake was similar (p>0.05) across the treatments, where the highest numerical value was recorded in the animals fed with T3 (121291g) and the lowest value was recorded in T2 (110924 g). Crude fiber intake was highest for Red Sokoto bucks fed with T3 (87.92 g) and the least was recorded in T2 (72.36 g). There were no significant (P>0.05) differences in nutrient digestibilities. However, dry matter digestibility (DMD), neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD) and crude fiber digestibility (CFD) were numerically highest in treatments 2 (92.72, 87.13 and 92.24%), and lowest in treatment 3 and 1 (72.00, 85.69 and 89.53%) and (81.76, 75.56 and 81.67%) On the otherhand, ash digestibility (ASHD), acid detergent fiber digestibility (ADFD) and crude protein digestibility (CPD) were higher in treatment 3 (81.62%). These values were lowest in treatments 1 and 2 (77.70 and 78.41) respectively. The values for nitrogen utilization were similar, only the total output and nitrogen retained as percentage body intake were significantly (p<0.05) different, where T3 recorded the lowest output (0.24 g/d) and highest nitrogen retention as percentage body intake (56.19 g/d). The dietary treatments had an impact on the better utilization of feeds. Treatment 3 where animals were fed with roasted Piliostigma reticulatum pods was suggested for raising Red Sokoto bucks due to the higher dry matter intake, neutral detergent fiber intake, acid detergent fiber intake, ash intake, crude fiber intake, crude protein digestibility, digestibility of ash, lower nitrogen output, higher nitrogen absorption as percentage body weight intake and higher nitrogen retention as percentage body weight intake compared to other treatments.