PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE LIVE WEIGHT GAIN OF CASTRATED AND UNCASTRATED KANO BROWN BUCK

Résumé

This preliminary study was conducted to determine the live body weight gain of Kano Brown Bucks. Eight Kano Brown Bucks were used to compare the live weight gain of castrated and uncastrated bucks. This research was conducted at Audu Bako College of Agriculture Dambatta, Kano State. The bucks were sourced from small ruminant unit of the college and they were allotted into two treatments with four bucks per treatment, that is Treatment A for castrated bucks and B for uncastrated bucks. The animals were subjected to the same experimental diet which lasted for ten weeks during this period two week were used for rumen adaptation and to recover from wound healing and pain of castration. The initial individual weight was recorded along with cumulative and average weight for both treatments. Average initial body weight for castrated bucks was 75.8kg and a mean weight of 18.9kg, final average weight was 86.7kg and a mean weight of 21.7kg. Average initial weight for uncastrated Kano brown bucks were 71.8kg with a mean weight of 18.0kg, final body weight 80.5kg and a mean weight of 20.1kg. Treatment A had more weight gain than treatment B due to the removal of sexual function. It was found that castration has positive effect on weight gain on castrated Kano Brown bucks fed with molasses and cotton seed cake. Hence, it is recommended that Kano Brown bucks should be castrated before embarking into fattening.