Nutrient Digestibility of Red Sokoto Goats During the Dry Hot Season of Derived Savanna Zone of Nigeria

Water availability is a major environmental factor that influences the feed intake, nutrient utilization and productivity of ruminants, particularly during the dry season in tropical regions. This study examined the impact of different water restriction regimes on the nutrient digestibility of Red Sokoto goats fed groundnut straw in the hot, dry season in Savannah zone of Nigeria's. Six mature Red Sokoto bucks, aged between one and one-and-a-half years and weighing between 12 and 14 kg, were used in a multi-period crossover experiment involving ad libitum water supply (control), 30% water restriction and 50% water restriction treatments. Feed and water intake and fecal output were measured daily, while proximate composition and fiber fractions were analyzed using AOAC procedures. The results showed that water restriction significantly reduced the digestibility coefficients of dry matter, crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) (P<0.05). Dry matter digestibility decreased from 77.64% in the control group to 72.00% in the group subjected to a 50% water restriction, while crude protein digestibility declined from 50.43% to 29.18%. These findings are consistent with previous reports indicating that inadequate water intake negatively impacts nutrient utilization and rumen function in ruminants. The study concluded that restricting water adversely affects the digestibility of nutrients in Red Sokoto goats, which may consequently reduce their productivity during periods of water scarcity. Therefore, adequate access to clean drinking water should be prioritized in goat production systems, particularly in semi-arid environments during the dry hot season.