Evaluation of Groundnut Haulm as a Dry Season Feed Supplement for West African Dwarf Sheep in Kogi State

This study evaluates groundnut haulm as a dry season protein supplement for West African Dwarf sheep in Kogi State, North Central Nigeria. Groundnut haulm, the leafy portion of the groundnut plant harvested with the pods, is a protein-rich crop residue widely available in North Central Nigeria after the groundnut harvest. Its potential as a dry season feed supplement for small ruminants in Kogi State deserves systematic evaluation. This study allocates 20 WAD sheep to four dietary treatment groups in a completely randomised design: natural rangeland grazing only as control, rangeland grazing supplemented with groundnut haulm at 200 grams per day, 400 grams per day, and 600 grams per day. Live body weight, daily weight gain, body condition score, and blood parameters are monitored over 90 days during the dry season. Feed intake and digestibility are measured on a subsample of animals using metabolism cage procedures. Findings reveal that WAD sheep supplemented with 400 grams per day of groundnut haulm achieve significantly higher daily weight gain of 48 grams per day and body condition score maintenance compared to the unsupplemented control, which shows negative weight gain of minus 12 grams per day. The 600 grams per day supplementation shows no significant additional benefit over 400 grams per day. Groundnut haulm digestibility averages 58 percent, consistent with its moderate fibre content. The study concludes that 400 grams per day of groundnut haulm supplementation effectively prevents dry season weight loss in WAD sheep in Kogi State. It recommends groundnut haulm conservation as a priority dry season livestock management strategy.

Keywords: groundnut haulm, WAD sheep, dry season supplement, Kogi State, small ruminant nutrition.