Effects of Replacing Maize Bran with Maize Cob on Nutrients Utilization, Rumen Metabolites and Microbes of Red Sokoto Bucks

The experiment examined the effects of replacements levels of maize cob for maize bran on nutrients utilization, rumen metabolites and microbes of 24 Red Sokoto goats. Maize cob replaced maize bran at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% levels designated as treatments T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 respectively. Unto each treatment, was added 10% cotton seed cake. Cowpea husk was fed ad libitum as basal diet. The experiment ran for 21 days made up of 7 days adaptation and 14 days of data collection. Parameters determined were proximate composition of feed ingredients and experimental diets, dry matter intakes, nutrients digestibility, rumen pH, Ammonia Nitrogen, volatile fatty acids and bacterial counts before and after feeding of the diets. It was found that the nutrient compositions of the diets differed significantly (P<0.05) with increasing levels of maize cob inclusion in the diets. There was also significant (P<0.05) difference for dry matter and nutrients digestibility across treatments with treatments T2 and T4 having the highest for all the parameters. However, metabolic nutrient intakes significantly differed (P<0.05) among treatments. Rumen pH, Ammonia nitrogen and volatile fatty acids decreased after feeding the diets while bacteria counts increased. Ranges of rumen pH (6.20-6.50), Volatile fatty acids (29.03-31.23 Mmol/100mls) bacterial counts (7.0-9.6×106) and Ammonia nitrogen of 10.65-12.20mg/100mls were found. It was concluded that despite the increase in maize cob inclusion in the diets, with increase in energy, crude fiber and decrease in crude protein levels, the diets still supplied adequate nutrients for the animals to maintain balanced rumen environment conducive for microbial growth and activities resulting in favorable nutrients utilization and weight increments. Maize cob could replace maize bran up to 40 % level of inclusion to reduce cost of production.