GROWTH RESPONSE OF RED SOKOTO CASTRATE SUPPLEMENTED AND DEWORMED IN BAUCHI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Small Ruminant Teaching and Research Farm, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of concentrate supplementation and deworming on the intake and growth performance of Red Sokoto castrate goats. Twenty four young growing castrates were purchased from open markets in Bauchi metropolis and allotted to four treatments with six castrates each in completely randomized design. The factors considered were supplemented animals (S), not supplemented (N/S), dewormed (D) and not dewormed (N/D).. Data collected were feed intake, daily weight gain, and worm egg counts. The experiment lasted for three months. The results showed that the chemical composition of the experimental diets meets the requirement of small ruminants. The initial weights of the castrate goats were 7.17, 7.33 and 7.67 kg with no significant (P0>.0.5) differences. Final weight gain values were 10.67, 11.17, 11.00 and 13.17g/day with no significant (P0>0.5) differences. The daily weight gain ranged between 27.78 and 42.59g/day which were not significant (P0>0.5) as well. The daily concentrates intake were however significant (P<0.01) among supplemented/not dewormed and supplemented/dewormed castrates. Daily weight gain values were 29.63, 31.48, 27.78 and 42.59g with no significant (P>0.05) differences. Worm egg counts at the beginning, at the middle and end of the experiments were significant (P<0.05) among the treatment groups with values ranging between.50 and 47.17%, 5.78 and 10.07% and 6.33% respectively. It can be concluded that supplementation and deworming will improve the growth performance of castrate goats. Keywords: Castrate, deworming, goats, supplementation, worm egg count