Performance and hemtochemical parameters of buck‐kids fed concentrate partially replaced with tropical Piliostigma thonningii foliage

Fifteen 5‐month‐old Red Sokoto buck‐kids, (6.6 ± 0.71 kg body weight ( BW )) randomly distributed into three groups of five animals per group, were used to study the effects of supplementary concentrate partially replaced with Piliostigma thonningii ( PT ) foliage on the growth performance, economic benefit and blood profile in a completely randomized design using analysis of variance. The goats in group 1 received 100% supplementary concentrates ( PT 0), groups 2 and 3 received 25% ( PT 25) and 50% ( PT 50), respectively, of concentrate replaced with an equal amount (dry matter basis) of Piliostigma foliage. The goats were fed a basal diet of threshed sorghum top ( TST ). Intake of concentrate, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, total feeding cost and cost/kg BW were greater ( P  <   0.05) for PT 0 than for PT 25 and PT 50. Consumption of P . thonningii foliage was greater ( P  <   0.05) for PT 50 relative to PT 25. Tannin consumption of the treatment diets were greater ( P  <   0.05) than that of the control concentrate diet. Serum urea N reduced ( P  <   0.05) with increasing level of concentrate replacement, while serum glucose was higher ( P  <   0.05) in PT 0 than in PT 50. However, means of all blood measurements were within normal ranges for goats. Net benefit showed this rank order: PT 0 <  PT 50 <  PT 25 (all P  <   0.05). Both differential and relative benefits were higher ( P  <   0.05) for PT 25 than for PT 50. P. thonningii foliage can replace 50% of supplemental concentrate without impairing feed intake, growth performance and health of buck‐kids.