Effects of graded levels of sun-dried cassava peels in supplement diets fed to Red Sokoto goats in first trimester of pregnancy

Sun-dried cassava peels were used as an energy source to replace maize offals in diets for pregnant Red Sokoto goats. The rations contained 0, 18.5, 37.0, 55.5 and 74.0% sun-dried cassava peels. An additional diet contained only cotton seed cake and common salt while the other rations also contained 25.0% cotton seed cake, 1.0% common salt and varied quantities of maize offals. f the six treatments comprised five Red Sokoto goats in early pregnancy supplemented with the appropriate corresponding ration at the rate of 1.5% of the liveweight. After supplementation for 2h in the morning, they were allowed to graze on native pastures in a specified paddock. an dry matter intake of the cassava peel-based rations was significantly (P < 0.01) affected by the level of cassava peel. This decreased linearly from 30.9 g per W0.75kg per day in treatment 2 to 26.2 g per W0.75kg per day in treatment 5. intake significantly (P < 0.01) decreased as the cassava peel level increased. The highest intake of 7.5 was in treatment 6 while the least was 3.0 g per W0.75kg per day in treatment 5. There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in the efficiency of feed conversion but the efficiency of CP utilization was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in the cassava peel-based rations than the cottonseed based ration. was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in the liveweight gains of the goats during the first trimester of pregnancy even though the average daily gain ranged from 143 to 171 g per day. There were no abortions or mortalities during the period of pregnancy examined. e of cassava peels, up to 74.0% in supplement rations, which completely replaced maize offals did not affect liveweight changes in pregnant goats grazed on native pasture.