Inorganic feed additives are commonly used in small ruminant production to promote growth. However, the problem of bioaccumulation of chemical residues in animals fed inorganic feed additives has necessitated the search for organic alternatives such as Fossil Shell Flour (FSF). There is dearth of information on the use of fossil shell flour as a feed additive in the diet of small ruminants. Hence, growth performance of West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep fed diets supplemented with FSF were investigated. Sixteen WAD rams (18.5±1.05 kg) were allotted to four treatments: Tl (0% FSF), T2 (2% FSF), T3 (4% FSF) and T4 (6% FSF) in a twelve-week growth study. Daily Weight Gain (DWG, kg), Feed Intake (FI, kg/day) and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) were measured. Nutrient digestibility was determined using standard procedures. In vitro gas production characteristics, Organic Matter Digestibility (OMD), metabolisable energy (MJ/kg) and Short Chain Fatty Acid (SCFA, µmol/mL) of the feed were determined at three hours interval for ninety-six hours. Synchronized sixteen primiparous WAD ewes (25.75±1.60 kg) mated with proven rams were randomly allotted to the experimental diets. Dams and their lambs were weighed weekly for 13 weeks. Gestation Length (GL, days), Dry Matter Intake (DMI, g/day), Total Weight Change During Pregnancy (TWCDP, kg), Weight Change During Lactation (WCDL, kg) as well as Lamb Weaning Weight (LWW, kg), Pre-Weaning Mortality (PWM, %) and Twin Survival Rate (TSR, %) were monitored. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA at α0.05.
EMERUWA, C (2021). GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF SHEEP FED DIETS SUPPLEMENTED WITH FOSSIL SHELL FLOUR. Afribary. Retrieved from https://afribary.com/works/growth-performance-of-west-african-dwarf-sheep-fed-diets-supplemented-with-fossil-shell-flour
EMERUWA, Chibuisi "GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF SHEEP FED DIETS SUPPLEMENTED WITH FOSSIL SHELL FLOUR" Afribary. Afribary, 07 Apr. 2021, https://afribary.com/works/growth-performance-of-west-african-dwarf-sheep-fed-diets-supplemented-with-fossil-shell-flour. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
EMERUWA, Chibuisi . "GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF SHEEP FED DIETS SUPPLEMENTED WITH FOSSIL SHELL FLOUR". Afribary, Afribary, 07 Apr. 2021. Web. 22 Nov. 2024. < https://afribary.com/works/growth-performance-of-west-african-dwarf-sheep-fed-diets-supplemented-with-fossil-shell-flour >.
EMERUWA, Chibuisi . "GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF SHEEP FED DIETS SUPPLEMENTED WITH FOSSIL SHELL FLOUR" Afribary (2021). Accessed November 22, 2024. https://afribary.com/works/growth-performance-of-west-african-dwarf-sheep-fed-diets-supplemented-with-fossil-shell-flour