Performances of West African Dwarf Rams Administered with Aqueous African Marigold Plant (Aspilia africana) Extract
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NseAbasi NsikakAbasi Etim, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Akwa Ibom State University, Obio Akpa Campus, Oruk Anam L.G.A., Nigeria.
This study examined the effect of administration of aqueous Aspilia africana extract on live weights and carcass characteristics of West African Dwarf rams. Twenty-four rams aged 6-9 months with average weight of 4.65kg were used for the study. The experiment was in a Completely Randomized Design with 4 treatment groups and 6 rams per treatment group. Each treatment was replicated 3 times with 2 rams per replicate. Rams in Treatment 1 (control) were administered with 10ml of distilled watThis study examined the effect of administration of aqueous Aspilia africana extract on live weights and carcass characteristics of West African Dwarf rams. Twenty-four rams aged 6-9 months with average weight of 4.65kg were used for the study. The experiment was in a Completely Randomized Design with 4 treatment groups and 6 rams per treatment group. Each treatment was replicated 3 times with 2 rams per replicate. Rams in Treatment 1 (control) were administered with 10ml of distilled water, while those in T2, T3 and T4 were administered orally with 1000mg/kg body weight (BW), 2000mg/kg BW and 3000mg/kg BW of aqueous Aspilia africana extract, respectively. Two kilograms (2kg) of forages and 500g of the same concentrate diet were offered to each ram in all the treatment groups, daily. After 64 days, body weights of the rams were measured with weighing scale. Thereafter, four rams per treatment group were slaughtered for carcass evaluation. Results of the study revealed that the control group (T1) had the lowest mean values in all the parameters measured, while the values obtained for the treated groups (T2, T3 and T4), for all the parameters increased with increase in the concentration of the extract. Highest significant mean values were recorded for T4; 17.00kg, 10.50kg, 61.74%, 24.75g, 23.40g and 209.60g while T1 had the lowest mean values of 12.00kg, 5.50kg, 45.83%, 22.40g, 20.90g and 176.65g for live weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage, weight of left kidney, weight of right kidney and weight of liver, respectively. Thus, upto 3000mg/kg BW of A. africana is recommended for administration to rams.
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