Abstract 37

Ademosun,AA; Bosman,-HG; Jansen,-HJ

Department of Animal Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Goat production in the humid tropics. Proceedings of a workshop at the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, 20-24 July 1987 [edited by Smith, O.B.; Bosman, H.G.]. 1988, 51-61; 11 ref. Wageningen, Netherlands; Pudoc.

At Ife, Nigeria, a nutrition programme for West African Dwarf goats has been developed for intensive goat rearing, designed to be used in village conditions. Research has focused on evaluation of locally available feeds. Panicum maximum and Cynodon spp. and Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala have been studied. Concentrate was only used to estimate potential production levels of these goats under humid tropical conditions, to act as a reference for evaluation of roughage and agro-byproducts. Results of experiments are reviewed. It is concluded that West African Dwarf goats cannot be maintained on poor quality tropical grasses, but G. sepium and L. leucocephala provide adequate basic diets to produce weight gains of up to 35-40 g/day. Cassava and brewers' dried grains are being studied as energy and protein supplements, respectively.