Effects of Levels of Ficus (Ficus sycomorus) Supplementation on Voluntary Feed Intake, Nutrient Digestibility and Nitrogen Balance in Yankasa Bucks Fed Urea Treated Maize Stover Basal Diet

The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding varying levels of Ficus sycomorus leaf forages as protein supplements to a basal diet of urea treated maize stover. Four Yankasa goats averaging one year and weighing 11.7±1.8 kg were used to measure the feed intake, digestibility and nitrogen balance. The basal diet (urea treated maize stover) was supplemented with 0 (T1), 50 (T2), 100 (T3) or and 150 (T4) g of fresh F. sycomorus leaves. The intake of the basal diet was significantly (P < 0.05) affected by supplementation with browse foliage. T3 had significantly P < 0.05 higher maize stover intake. Significant (P < 0.05) increase in total dry matter intake, was observed, with T4 being highest. Dry matter digestibility DMD was significantly (P < 0.05) increased with supplementation. T3 and T4 were significantly higher and statistically similar (87.09 and 83.83), followed by T2 (75.82) and least T1 (71.82). Supplementation significantly (P < 0.05) increased nitrogen retention, with an increase in the level of supplementation observed in this order 9.93, 15.46, 21.62, and 25.01 g/d for T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively. Evaluation of Nitrogen retention as a percentage of intake followed a similar pattern. F. sycomorus has potential as a protein supplement and could be offered at 100g/day in growing goats fed urea treated low quality basal diets.