Effect of supplementary feeding of cotton seed cake on feed intake, water consumption and work output of work bulls in Borno state, Nigeria

The effect of feeding cotton seed cake and work intensity on the performance of work bulls was studied. Four bulls were paired according to their size and body weight and the experiment continued over a period of 12 weeks during which each bulls was subjected to one of the four treatments for a period of 3 weeks. The treatments were T1 (4 h of work and feeding with 2 kg cotton seed cake per day), T2 (4 h of work per day without cotton seed cake), T3 (6 h of work and 2 kg cotton seed cake per day), and T4 (6 h work per day without cotton seed cake). Supplementation with cotton seed cake significantly (P < 0.05) increased DM intake, DM digestibility, and water consumption of the animals. DM intake and DM digestibility was increased by about 2.4 kg and 1.9%, respectively. Animals receiving supplemented rations increased their body weight by about 0.02 kg per head per day. Length of work did not increase DM intake and digestibility but affected (P < 0.05) water consumption. There was no significant difference in work output between the animals working 6 and 4 h per day, however, animals on 6 h of work per day lost about 0.01 kg body weight per day (P > 0.05). The results of this study suggest that supplementing working animals fed poor quality roughage (such as wheat straw) with a concentrate feed is necessary in order to maintain their basic weight.