Efficacy of Feeding Earthworm Meal-Based Diet on Feed Intake, Weight Gain, and Apparent Digestibility Coefficient of Red Sokoto Goat

Abstract

Feed which contributes about 70-80% of the cost of feeding is one of the major problems of livestock production. Feeding nutritious feed to animals is vital for the vigor and wellbeing of livestock and human being and the nutrient it contains assist animal to grow, develop and reproduce. Hence, this study examined the impact of Earthworm Meal (EWM)-based diets on Red Sokoto goats' feed intake, digestibility, and weight gain at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Abuja in Nigeria. Thirty (30) Red Sokoto goats weighing 6-7 kg were used in the experiment. The experimental animals were randomized against the dietary Treatments A (control, 0% EWM), B (3% of EWM), and C (6% of EWM) using a complete randomized design model. With the 15-day acclimatization and 10-day digestibility periods, the entire experiment lasted 56 days. The findings showed increasing feed intake as the amount of earthworm meal increased (Treatment>C>B>A), with Treatment C having the highest Average dry matter Intake (AFI) (230.11g). Furthermore, the Average Feed Intake (AFI) and Average Daily Gain (ADG) (0.12 kg/d) showed a comparable pattern. Between the dietary treatments, there were significant differences (p<0.05) in the Feed Conversion Ratio and efficiency (FCR: 13.38, 9.96, and 8.94; FCE: 0.07, 0.10, and 0.11 respectively). The study showed that Treatment C was used more effectively in comparison to the other treatments, according to this study, red sokoto goat diets should contain up to 6% EWM for improved performance of livestock and mitigate poverty.