EFFECTS OF FEEDING DIETS CONTAINING GRADED LEVELS OF PALM KERNEL CAKE ON NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY AND NITROGEN BALANCE OF WEANED BUNAJI CALVES

Abstract

A study was conducted using thirty (30) Bunaji weaned calves with an average live weight range of 89.5kg and age range of 7.5-9 months to determine the Nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance of Bunaji weaner calves fed diets containing 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% levels of Palm Kernel Cake (PKC) inclusion in a 2x5factorial arrangement laid in Completely Randomized Design. At the end of 90 days feeding trial, weaner calves (3 bulls and 3 heifers) wereselected from each treatment and moved to metabolic crates for metabolism trial. The calves were allowed 14days adjustment period and 7 days for faecal collection. Concentrate and basal diets of Digitaria smutsii were offered at 2% body weight each. There were significant (P<0.05) differences in all the digestibility parameters obtained. Animals on 30% PKC inclusion had the highest digestibility values for all the parameters measured. It was observed that there was significant (P<0.05) difference in nitrogen balance across treatments. Nitrogen Intake was highest at 30%PKC inclusion (97.07g/day) but similar to the value of 95.56g/day for animals on 10%PKC. The supplied nutrients were well tolerated and properly utilized with positive nitrogen balance. Hence, it was concluded that inclusion of Palm Kernel Cake at 30% in the diets of weaned Bunaji Calves as no known negative effects on nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance hence it can be adopted by farmers in Nigeria for increased productivity.